site.btaPresident Rumen Radev to Honor US-Founded Otets Paissii Folklore Dance Ensemble

President Rumen Radev will visit the town of Nessebar to attend a concert by the Otets Paissii folklore dance ensemble, marking the ensemble’s 70th anniversary, the President’s press office announced.

Founded in the US, Otets Paissii is the oldest Bulgarian folklore ensemble in the country. It was established as part of the Bulgarian-Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The jubilee performance, titled The Soul of Bulgaria, will take place at 8.30 p.m. at the amphitheater in Old Nessebar. During the event, President Radev will present the ensemble with a presidential honorary badge in recognition of its significant contribution to preserving and promoting Bulgarian folklore arts, as well as for fostering international cultural exchange and raising awareness of Bulgarian culture abroad.

The ensemble is currently on a tour in Bulgaria from June 16 to 22 to commemorate its seven decades of cultural activity.

“We are incredibly excited and are putting a great deal of effort into preparing for our tour in Bulgaria to mark our 70th anniversary,” said Bilyana Stafura, Artistic Director of the Otets Paissii performing dance ensemble, in an interview with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). Stafura, originally from Blagoevgrad, has been shaping the ensemble’s artistic direction in recent years.

She described the ensemble’s repertoire as “exceptionally diverse,” encompassing “everything from traditional stage performances to more complex, theatrically developed pieces.”

“One of our greatest assets—and something we are extremely proud of—is that nearly all our members are musically literate,” Stafura noted. “They sing in two- and three-part harmonies and play various instruments. So our performers not only dance, but also sing Bulgarian folk songs and play music—creating a truly rich and authentic stage experience.”