Ceremonial dance

The purpose of the Ceremonial dance is ceremonial or ritualistic nature. Native American dances show this purpose: the war dance (This dance express prayer for success and thanksgiving for victory); the dance of exorcism or healing; the dance of invocation, calling on the gods for help in different things and other tribal interests; beginning dances for secret societies; mimetic dances, representing events in tribal history, legend, or mythology; dances performing cosmic processes; and, more seldom, the dance of courtship, an invocation for success in love. The dance of religious ecstasy, in which hypnotic or trancelike conditions are induced, this is a feature event of Southeast Asia and Africa; and was characterized in America by the extraordinary Ghost Dance.

The characteristic in Native American dancing is always that they performed on the feet, while in many islands of the Pacific and in Asia some of the dances are performed in a sitting position, with only the hands, arms, and upper parts of the body used. In the Ancient Egyptian dances have a religious nature, were resulting from earlier African forms. The progress of the drama and in religious worship, In Greece, had part in the choral dance in honor of Dionysus. Several early religious or commemorative dances have survived in the folk dance of contemporary times.
In India dance and drama have generally been related, both usually having religious meaning.