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Classical Japanese performing art of dance

refers to the classical Japanese performing art of dance. developed from earlier dance traditions such as and , and was further developed during the early Edo period (1603–1867), through the medium of kabuki dances, which often incorporated elements from the older dance genres. Although the term means "Japanese dance", it is not meant to refer to Japanese dance in general, and instead refers to a few dance genres such as , which are performed in theatre. differs from other varieties of Japanese traditional dance, in that it is a refined style intended as entertainment on a public stage. Prior to this, dance was generally referred according to its particular dance genre, such as and The term is a combination of the characters 舞; mai, which can also be pronounced , and 踊; odori, which can also be pronounced Shōyō intended to be a term for (振事劇), a form of dance drama in kabuki plays, but the term has now grown to cover several Japanese dance styles, including the modern dance form .

In the narrow sense, (日本舞踊) refers solely to (歌舞伎舞踊). The term dates to the Meiji period. Until then, was referred to by various names such as (所作事), (景事), (振事) or more simply (踊). The choreographers of , whose first appearance dates back to around 1673, founded schools to teach this dance to amateurs. , listed as an important intangible cultural property since 1955, is performed by both a kabuki actor and a dancer.

Unlike Noh, , kabuki and theater, which feature male performers, is also performed by women. There are two different dance styles taught in : , "female roles", and , "male roles". is a static and abstract movement with an emphasis on the ritual aspect, which is often present in the adaptation sequences of the nô theater; is a dynamic and rhythmic movement resulting from , a dance invented by a Buddhist monk around the 10th century;

schools were founded by choreographers (who were originally kabuki musicians or actors), or by actors. These two backgrounds mean that both still share the same dance repertoire.

There are many plays which are inspired by Noh theater plays. The three major series of , and are adapted from the Noh plays , and , as well as the repertoire series, adapted from Noh during the Meiji period, with inspiration taken from the approach of kabuki adapting Noh dramas. For these plays, Noh dance is integrated into the choreography.