site.btaGuildford Folk Dance Group Samodeitsi to Take Part in Travelling Festival in Munich

The folk dance group Samodeitsi from Guildford, England, will participate 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. 

The leader of the folk dance group Ivelina Yonova told BTA that the group will present Zemyo le, balgarska, parvo libe Dobrudzha dance. The choreography is her own, while the music is a compilation of excerpts from works by Trio Zdravets, Stoyan Dechev, Marin Nikolov, Stefan Georgiev and Petyo Krastev.

"The dance tells the story of the first love of a man from Dobrudzha [in Northeastern Bulgaria], not for a person, but for the land. From childhood, he is nurtured by the scent of the soil, the hard labour, and the generosity of the plain. The land is his beloved, mother, strength and destiny. The dance intertwines the tenderness of first love with the harsh masculinity of the Dobrudzha character. Every step is a rooting, every movement an expression of love and loyalty to the native land, which nourishes, educates and unites the people of Dobrudzha. The costumes are being sewn by the talented Nikolina Rice of NiRa Ethno, who also dances in our group. Every dancer will contribute various finishing elements of the costumes and the props. This makes this year's participation even more memorable and special for us," Yonova added.

She also provided more information about the Samodeitsi group, which was founded in 2020 with the aim of bringing together the Bulgarian community and promoting Bulgarian folklore and culture abroad.

"The group, which over time has become one big family, consists of people of different ages and professions, united by their love of folklore. Since 2022, Samodeitsi have enthusiastically showcased the richness of Bulgaria's folk traditions and culture through various performances and festivals in England and beyond. Our dancers are aged from six to over 60, and we do not have members of other nationalities," the dance group leader said.

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 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.