Setiap tarian tradisional di dunia ini mempunyai asal usulnya. Artikel ini bertujuan membuat sorotan literatur tentang asal usul tarian-tarian tradisional di luar dan di Sabah. Kajian perpustakaan dan laman sesawang telah dilakukan untuk mengumpul data daripada buku, makalah jurnal, makalah ensiklopedia dan penerbitan lain yang ada hubung kait dengan fokus sorotan literatur ini. Hasil sorotan literatur yang dilakukan mendapati asal usul tarian tradisional di luar Sabah hanya terhad kepada dua jenis asal usul sahaja, iaitu ritual dan pergerakan binatang. Kebanyakan tarian ritual di luar Sabah didapati bertujuan untuk permintaan hujan, kesuburan tanaman, penyembuhan penyakit dan upacara kematian. Selain asal usul tarian tradisional yang berkait dengan ritual, terdapat juga tarian tradisional yang berasal daripada pergerakan binatang seperti pergerakan kera, kijang dan unggas. Bagi asal usul tarian-tarian tradisional di Sabah pula, tarian ritual yang ditemui dalam sorotan literatur ini didapati bertujuan untuk penyembuhan penyakit, pemujaan semangat padi dan semangat mengayau serta menolak bala. Berkaitan pergerakan binatang, terdapat tarian tradisional di Sabah yang diilhami daripada pergerakan burung, khususnya burung layang-layang dan burung helang. Tiada pergerakan binatang lain yang ditemui. Tambahan pula, terdapat asal usul tarian tradisional di Sabah yang berasal daripada permainan tradisional orang tempatan. Asal usul sedemikian tidak ditemui dalam asal usul tarian tradisional di luar Sabah ketika sorotan literatur ini dilakukan. Kesimpulannya, terdapat tiga jenis asal usul tarian-tarian tradisional di Sabah telah ditemui dan dibincangkan dalam sorotan literatur ini, iaitu tarian-tarian tradisional yang berasal daripada ritual, pergerakan binatang dan permainan.
Every traditional dance in the world has its own origin. This literature review aims to review the origin of the traditional dances outside Sabah and in Sabah. The search for books, journal articles, encyclopedia articles and other publications materials as the data of this literature review were done through library research and online search. In the review, it was found that all the dances outside Sabah were originated from either ritual or the movements of animals and birds. Majority of the ritual dances outside Sabah were associated with the purpose of praying for rain, plant fertility, healing for sickness and funeral. Besides ritual dances, the origin of other dances was associated with the movement of animals such as monkey, deer and birds. For the origin of the tradisional dances in Sabah, rituals dances found in this literature review conducted with the purpose of sickness healing, worshiping paddy spirits and spirits of head-hunting as well as repelling misfortune hapennings. Regarding movement of animals, there are traditional dances of Sabah originated from the movement of birds, especially swallow and eagle. None of the dances were originated from the movement of animals. In addition, there are dances in Sabah originated from the traditional games of the local people. Such origin of traditional dances was not found outside Sabah at the time of this literature review was conducted. In conclusion, three types of the origins of the tradisional dances of Sabah were identified and discussed in this literature review, namely ritual, movement of animals and the traditional games.