Contract dance are some of the earliest traditional dances in Lithuania. Polyphony in the text and music, as well as the repetition of onomatopoeic words, defines them. Simple dance movements such as walking, stamping feet, sliding, changing places, coming and twisting is used to follow the sutartin (song).
WheelA kind of circular dance, is another genre of Lithuanian folk music. Fiddles, Lumzdelis, a type of whistle similar to the clarinet called Birbyne, and Kankls, a type of Zeter that comes with sutartins, Rateliai, Waltzes, Quadrilles and Polkas are among the instruments used. Newer imports, which begin in the late 1800s, include concertina, accordion and bandoneon. Sutartin is accompanied by wooden trumpets (Ragai and Dandyts) and Skuduiai, a type of panpipe performed by a group of people. Kankls is a very significant public instrument, with variations in string and performance style throughout the country. Other traditional instruments include surgery Ragelis (Bagpipe), Vilpas (whistle), drums and talas (a stroke instrument similar to a gong).
