Culture is the very pride and soul of a nation, it is a mirror that reflects the beauty, nativity and the life pattern of the people. Culture in essence, always plays a crucial role to promote harmonious relationships between the ethnic groups of Nepal.

There are many dances which differ by ethnic group, listed below are some of the more popular.

Arati dance: - This dance is dedicated to Nataraj, the dancing form of Lord Shiva. The dance is performed in darkness, dancers appear with candles in their hands which they weave around their body.

Bajrayogini dance:- An ancient classical dance of Nepal which is based on Tantric Buddhism. One of the best venues to witness the dance is at the temple of Goddess Bajrayogini,situated about three kilometres from Kathmandu.

Bhairabkali dance:- A classical dance of Lord Shiva & Goddess Parvati. The dance shows the destructive mood of Goddess Kali and Lord Shiva who saved the world from destruction by lying down in the path of Kali.

Chanchar dance:- This colourful dance is popular in the Tharu community in the western Terai region of Nepal.

Chutka dance:- The dance is performed during the different festivals in the eastern part of Nepal. Boys and girls sing and dance in pairs during the festival.

Chyabrung dance:- A dance mainly performed by young boys and girls during the different festivals in the northern part of Nepal.

Dhimey dance:- A typical dance of Jyapu community of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. It is performed during the growing season to ensure a good harvest. After the harvest has been gathered other dances abound.

Drum solo:- In Nepal there are several types of drums of various sizes and shapes. Here an exponent on the drum plays 10 to 12 drum sets at a time in a typical Nepalese fashion.

Horiya dance:- This is a very popular dance of the Tharu community from the southern part of Nepal. Holy is one of the great festivals for this community which is observed in Feb/Mar. Everybody is singing and dancing, throwing coloured powder and water upon each other.

Jhankri dance (witch doctor):- During bygone days when there were no medical facilities in the country, sick people used to be taken to the witch doctor to get cured. Still today in the remote areas of Nepal, this practice still prevails. This dance portrays how the witch doctor cures a patient.

Jhyaure dance:- The dance is based on love songs which are very popular all over Nepal, especially among teenagers.

Khyali dance:- A dance that gives glimpses into the lives of the Magar and Gurung communities of western Nepal. The dance portrays a couple competing with each other by displaying their talents, they compete for lady. The winner can take the lady as his wife to his home.

Khukuri dance:- The Khukuri knife is the famous weapon of the Ghurkas, renowned for their exploits with the British Army. The dancer shows how it is used in killing enemies.

Lakhe dance: - A traditional mask dance of Nepal , particularly in the Kathmandu valley. It is performed during the festival of Indra Jatra.

Bhojpuri dance:- A dance very popular in southern part of Nepal.

Manjushree dance:- Once the Kathmandu valley was a huge lake, legend dictates in the middle of the lake was a flame, people would come from miles around to wonder at its brightness. The Disciple Manjushree, wishing to study the flame more closely opened up the southern side of the valley with his sword to allow the waters to drain. This dance depicts the legend, it is generally performed by the Buddhist priest.

Maruni dance:- The Maruni dance is performed by a single female with two men, she flirts to impress.

Peacock dance:- The Peacock is considered a holy bird of Nepal. It is a very colourful dance with men wearing peacock attire and is mainly performed by the Tharu community.

Shebru dance:- This dance is performed by Sherpa communities in the northern border area of Nepal. Sherpa dancing and music is very different than most other ethnic groups.

Yak dance:- Is a traditional dance performed by sherpa's in reverence to the Yak which is very important to their existence. The Yak provides rich milk and protein, it is also the only animal that is able to transport goods at high altitudes.