site.btaGaitani Folk Dance Group from Bordeaux to Perform Choreographed Piece Set to "Na Pazara" at Munich Festival

The Gaitani folk dance group from Bordeaux, France, will participate in the 11th Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance travelling festival, which will take place in Munich from May 15 to 17.

Gaitani Director Galya Asenova said in an interview for BTA that for this year’s performance, the group is preparing a choreographed piece based on Petya Paneva’s song "Na Pazara," with music and lyrics by Petya Paneva, arrangement by Mitko Denev, and choreography by Asenova herself. According to her, the song’s message is to show a glimpse of a couple’s daily life with a touch of humour.

“At the festival in Munich, we will have a smaller group, but with the same enthusiasm and desire to have fun and show our love for our folk dances,” Asenova added. “Even with fewer dancers, it is important for us to share these moments with our like-minded friends who cherish Bulgarian folklore,” she added.

According to Asenova, the dance group was formed on May 24, 2014, as part of the A.B.S. Bulgarian Cultural Association  in Bordeaux. “We chose the date as much for its symbolism as by chance, but we are delighted that it coincides precisely with the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the Bulgarian alphabet, education, and culture, and Slavic literature,” she explained.

Asenova noted that the group consists of dancers aged 16 to 68, and the youngest member is her daughter Nikita, who was born and raised in France. “We are all amateurs and volunteers, and most of our dancers began learning Bulgarian folk dances right here, at Gaitani in Bordeaux,” she added.

The group members gather for rehearsals once a week, and the meetings often continue even after the sessions end. “Our meetings usually end with refreshments or at least pleasant conversation in the area outside the dance hall,” Asenova explained.

She noted that the group primarily studies folk dances from various regions of Bulgaria and also prepares choreographed routines for their stage performances.

According to her, the organization’s main goal is to promote and popularize Bulgarian dances and customs among the Bulgarian community and foreigners in the Bordeaux region. “To pass them on to our children and to anyone who wants to learn more about Bulgarian traditions and culture,” Asenova added.

She explained that Gaitani participates in various cultural events and concerts, as well as almost every year in the Europe Day celebration in downtown Bordeaux with its own booth and dance performances. The group has been participating in the Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance festival since its second edition in 2016 in Montpellier. This was followed by performances in Gandia, Milan, La Nucia, Verona, Copenhagen, Prague, Palma de Mallorca, and Lyon, and in 2017, the group also represented Bulgaria at a folk festival in Santorini, Greece.