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Various types of folk dances evolved in communities of Jews. The dances preserved the memory of those communities and the surrounding influences on them. Most dances were intended for weddings in order to fulfill the commandment of making the bride and groom happy. Best known are the Chassidic dance from Eastern Europe and dances from Kurdistan, Uzbekistan and Ethiopia.
Yemenite Jews are distinct from others because for generations they preserved a dance culture of exceptional richness. Yemenite dance is unique: its beauty and fineness are striking and its influence on the development of Israeli dance has been considerable. This can be credited to Sara Levi-Tanai, who created a new dance language for the dance theater she founded, Inbal.
