site.btaAugsburg's Zharava Folklore Club to Perform Dance Recreating Bulgarian Traditional Wedding in Munich

The Zharava Folklore Club from Augsburg, Germany, will take part in the 11th Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance travelling festival, which will be held from May 15 to May 17 at BMW Park in Munich.

“We will present at this year’s edition of Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance the dance ‘A Wedding Is Coming, My Love’, which recreates fragments of the Bulgarian traditional wedding – from the lively male celebration of the groom’s friends, through the gentle and ritual maiden dance for veiling the bride, to the shared festive celebration crowned with a dynamic Thracian kopanitsa. The choice of the dance is driven by its emotionality and its ability to reveal the richness and multi-layered nature of Bulgarian traditions,” Violetta Stoeva, head of the Zharava club in Augsburg, told BTA’s BG World department.

Stoeva noted that the choreography is her work, as well as that of Nikolay Kolev – a like-minded collaborator and active participant in the club’s activities.

“It was created specifically for Zharava, inspired by authentic folklore models and interpreted for the stage. The final part is influenced by ‘Zavartyano Horo’ by Iliana Bozhanska, refracted through the ensemble’s stylistic approach. Assistant coach Pavlinka Trifonova is also actively involved in the preparation process. The music is entirely traditional, selected in line with the dramaturgy and moods of the dance,” Stoeva explained.

According to her, through this performance the ensemble conveys a message about the vitality of Bulgarian tradition, the connection between generations and the power of folklore to unite.

“The preparation of the dance involves focused and consistent work and represents a real challenge for the ensemble, bringing all participants together. All members are amateurs, and beginners are also actively involved in the process, growing alongside the development of the choreography. The club functions as a cohesive team in which everyone contributes with their skills and dedication,” Stoeva added.

She also noted that participants in the Zharava Folklore Club currently range in age from 5 to 60: “The youngest dancer is 5 years old, and the oldest is 60, both among the most active members. The club brings together Bulgarians united by their love of folklore and their desire to keep traditions alive.”

The Zharava Folklore Dance Club in Augsburg was founded on September 14, 2023, sparked by the spirit of Bulgarian culture, on the initiative of the Bulgarian school “Hristo Botev” in Augsburg. Initially conceived as a joint project between the school and a local sports club, the idea was for parents to spend their time dancing while their children attended classes. However, the love for Bulgarian folk dances exceeded all expectations, Violetta Stoeva said in a previous interview.

In 2025, the folklore formation took part for the first time in the Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance travelling festival, whose tenth edition was held in Lyon.

The travelling festival Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance 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 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.