Reproduction of a dancing girl, taken from an ostracon fragment dating to c. 1200 BC, now in Museo Egizio in Turin.
Dance held profound significance in ancient Egyptian culture. Dance groups were a common sight at dinner parties, banquets, and within the sacred halls of religious temples. Professional ensembles, comprising singers (ḥsı͗t), musicians (ḥnı͗t or ḥnwt), and dancers (ḥbw), often performed at important festivals and funerary services.