Lithuanian Lithuanian Folk Folk MusicMusic and Dances and Dances

LLove of ove of SSinginginging

If you were to If you were to ask a Lithuanian ask a Lithuanian about his about his country's country's traditional traditional culture, you would culture, you would most likely hear most likely hear about Lithuanian about Lithuanian songs and love of songs and love of singing.singing.

Lithuanians Lithuanians SSing ing MMore than ore than TThey hey SSpeakpeak

Most Lithuanian Most Lithuanian people still know people still know hundreds of hundreds of songs. songs.

There is a saying There is a saying that Lithuanian that Lithuanian people sing more people sing more than they speak.than they speak.

From Generation to From Generation to GenerationGeneration

Songs were Songs were handed down handed down from generation from generation to generation. to generation.

As a result, As a result, Lithuanian Lithuanian folklore contains folklore contains over 400,000 over 400,000 collected songs.collected songs.

Diversity of Diversity of FolkFolk Songs Songs

Folk songs reflect a Folk songs reflect a broad spectrum of broad spectrum of moods - extreme joy moods - extreme joy or deep sorrow.or deep sorrow.

There is a large There is a large diversity of diversity of Lithuanian song Lithuanian song genres including genres including work, calendar cycle, work, calendar cycle, wedding, feasting, wedding, feasting, war-historical and war-historical and others.others.

Polyphonic Lithuanian Folk Polyphonic Lithuanian Folk SongsSongs

The polyphonic The polyphonic Lithuanian folk Lithuanian folk songs called songs called sutartinėssutartinės have have been placed on a been placed on a UNESCO heritage UNESCO heritage list.list.

Traditional Instruments: Traditional Instruments: KanklKanklėsės and and SkudučiaiSkudučiai

Polyphonic Polyphonic SSinging inging DDancesances

Polyphonic songs Polyphonic songs have have accompanying accompanying dance elements. dance elements.

The movements The movements are quite simply are quite simply and easy to and easy to perform. perform.

Ring dances, circlesRing dances, circles

One style of Lithuanian One style of Lithuanian folk dance is called folk dance is called rateliairateliai, a type of dance , a type of dance in the round. in the round.

The dancers themselves The dancers themselves sing the lyrics without sing the lyrics without any instrumental any instrumental accompaniment.accompaniment.

Stepping around in a Stepping around in a circle, the participants circle, the participants perform various perform various movements which movements which illustrate the song’s text.illustrate the song’s text.

The Lithuanian Song and The Lithuanian Song and Dance CelebrationDance Celebration

•It is held every 4 years in Vilnius. Thousands of Lithuanians come from all the world to celebrate this festival. •It is a national level occasion which is even included into the UNESCO World Heritage list.