Lithuanian folk songs

Lithuanian circle-dance and game songs

9 songs in this genre

Lithuanian circle-dance and game songs combine words with coordinated movement. Participants may form a ring, build a symbolic bridge, imitate sowing a poppy, pass through an arch, or choose a partner. The song provides the timing and often the instructions, so the text is only one part of the performance.

The 9 guides in this collection keep the Lithuanian song text and explain the movement, roles, and rules needed to understand it as performance. Where the evidence survives, the guide also identifies the occasion or social setting in which the game was played.