site.btaEntusiasti Folk Group to Present Two Original Dances in Munich

Entusiasti dance group from Bad Neuenahr, Germany, will present two original dances at the 11th Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance travelling folklore festival. The festival will take place in BMW Park in Munich, Germany, from May 15 to 17.

"We chose to present two of our choreographies corresponding to this year’s motto, 'Libe le, libe hubavo' [beloved, oh beautiful beloved]. The first dance is from the Thracian folklore region and presents a playful rachenitsa [dance] between young women guarding their flowers and young men trying to steal them through skill and wit. The second choreography is based on the Pirin dance Shirto and shows the coming of age of a girl who is adorned so she can choose her beloved," the leader of the folklore group Nikol Istatkova-Vasileva said.

She noted that all choreographies performed by the group are original and created by her. The Thracian dance is set to "Svatbarska Rachenitsa" [wedding dance] by Zornitsa orchestra, while the second is performed to the popular song "Makedonsko Devoiche" [Macedonian girl] by Bulgarian folk singer Raina.

According to Istatkova-Vasileva, both choreographies convey the message of the beauty and gentleness of Bulgarian women around the world and the emotions they experience in the name of love.

The group is actively preparing for its first participation in the festival, rehearsing every Sunday afternoon. Founded in 2019 by Bulgarians in the Bonn region, the formation currently includes 20 dancers aged between 18 and 60, including a participant originally from the Republic of Congo who studies Bulgarian folk rhythms and steps with enthusiasm.

The Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance 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. More than 100 dance ensembles and over 4,000 guests are expected at the 11th edition in Munich in May. The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is the official media partner of the event and will present all participants.