Music of Thrace is the music of Thrace, a region in Southeastern Europe spread over southern Bulgaria (Northern Thrace), northeastern Greece (Western Thrace), and European Turkey (Eastern Thrace). The music of Thrace contains a written history that extends back to the antiquity, when Orpheus became a legendary musician and lived close to Olympus. Though the Thracian people were eventually assimilated by surrounding Balkan groups, elements of Thracian folk music continue. Traditional Thracian dances are usually swift in tempo and are mostly circle dances in which the men dance at the front of the line. The gaida, a kind of bagpipe, is the most characteristic instrument, but clarinets and toumbelekis are also used. The Thracian gaida, also called the avlos, is different from the Macedonian or other Bulgarian bagpipes. It is more high in pitch then the Macedonian gaida but less so than the Bulgarian gaida (or Dura). The Thracian gaida is also still widely used throughout Thrace in northeastern Greece. Types of dances Chelebinsko (Chain Dance of the Gentlemen): is a choreography by Belco Stanev with great music in an interesting meter. It's 9/8 divided : 2 3 2 2. In the vocal part, the steps are exactly on the meter: QSQQ, but in the instrumental refrain, half a bar is added 2 3 (QS). The steps are in 2 2 2 3 (QQQS) and the missing half bar 2 2 (QQ) is added at the end so that is missing (mathematically). Izgryala E Mesechinka (The moon has risen): A beautiful song from Northern (Bulgarian) Thrace that has inspired many choreographies, all of them with extensive arm work that is typical in dances from this region. Jambolsko Paidushko: Pajdusko/Paidushko Horo/Baiduska, is a group of dances usually danced in a 5/16 or 5/8 (Q S) rhythm and found in a large area spanning Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, and beyond. It resembles the "aksak" (Turkish for limping) rythmic system. Its various forms reflect local preferences. This one is from the Jambol region in Northern (Bulgarian) Thrace, and was first introduced in the United States by Dick Crum. Krivo Sadovsko Horo (Twisted chain dance from Sadovo, Northern Thrace): is a very fast dance, in a 13/8 rhythm, this dance has many versions. Pazardzhishka Kopanitsa: Pazardzhik Kopanitsa from Pazardzhik, Northern Thrace. Pravo Trakiisko Horo: Pravo Trakiisko Horo (Straight Thracian chain dance) is from Northern Thrace. It has very little in common with the simple