site.btaBulgarian News Agency to Present Participants in 11th Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance Festival in Munich

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is the official media partner of the eleventh edition of the travelling folklore festival Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance, which will take place from May 15 to 17 at BMW Park in Munich, Germany.

In this connection, BTA’s BG World section will present the participants in the festival. A special banner has been created leading to all news related to the event, which BTA plans to cover on site during the three festival days in the German city.

The presentations will begin in early March, and the articles will also be translated into English in BTA’s English-language news service, where a banner linking to the festival coverage has also been created.

More than 100 dance ensembles and over 4,000 guests are expected in Munich in May, according to this year’s host, Lazarka Ensemble, which operates in the Bavarian capital. During this edition of the travelling festival, the ensemble will also mark its 35th anniversary.

Around 2,000 performers are expected to take the stage during the three-day folklore event, united under this year’s theme, "Libe le, libe hubavo" (a traditional expression of affection meaning "My love, my beautiful love").

"Lazarka carries in its name the image of the maiden who, in Bulgarian tradition, blesses the home and the people and symbolizes hope, fertility and the continuation of life. Life is born and continues through love - the love sung in legends and ballads, danced in folk dances and performed in songs. 'Libe' is a tender address to a beloved person in Bulgarian folklore, while in German 'Liebe' means 'love'. What stronger bridge than love between languages, cultures and traditions," the ensemble said.

Earlier, in an interview for the BG World section, Lazarka's artistic director Plamen Petkov described the ensemble as one of the oldest and most established Bulgarian folklore groups abroad.

"The ensemble presents the richness of Bulgarian folklore at various forums and events not only in Germany but across Europe. It was founded in 1991 by choreographer Belcho Stanev and a group of enthusiasts in Munich attracted by the beauty and energy of Bulgarian folk dances. Throughout its long history, Lazarka has received numerous awards and distinctions at prestigious festivals and competitions," Petkov said.

Alongside its stage performances and mission to preserve Bulgarian folklore, the organization actively promotes cultural exchange between Bulgaria and Germany and participates in the social life of the Bavarian capital. Lazarka is also a co-founder of the Association of Bulgarian Folklore Ensembles Abroad, which supports Bulgarian groups overseas and represents them before institutions in Bulgaria, he added.

The travelling festival is organized by and for amateur folklore ensembles performing outside Bulgaria. The initiative was launched by the "Ot Izvora" group in Lyon, France, which hosted both the first edition in 2015 and the tenth edition in 2025. Over the years, the festival has also been held in Montpellier, France (2016); Gandia-Valencia, Spain (2017); Milan, Italy (2018); La Nucía, Spain (2019); Verona, Italy (2020); Copenhagen, Denmark (2022); Prague, Czech Republic (2023); and Palma de Mallorca, Spain (2024).