International Folklore Festival
24 - 28 July 2023
Ancient Theatre 

For the 27th time Plovdiv Municipality organizes the International Folklore Festival. The event, which has become a tradition for the cultural life of Plovdiv, is a real, long-awaited celebration for the residents and guests of the city in the hot summer days. The festival is part of the municipality's cultural events calendar and every year it brings together folklore groups from all over the world, presenting with great beauty, talent and good mood an unforgettable rhythms at one of Plovdiv's most iconic venues - the Ancient Theatre.

From 24 to 28 July we will see the performances of representative folklore groups from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Indonesia, Mexico and Poland. Hosted by the "Academic Folklore Ensemble" at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts "Prof. Assen Diamandiev" - Plovdiv with the main artistic director prof. acad. Milcho Vassilev, choreographer is Assoc. Prof. Stefan Yordanovi. On 25 July the festival will host the dance group "Zora".

On 26 July at the Ancient Theatre there will be a solo concert of the "Academic Folklore Ensemble" at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts "Prof.. Assen Diamandiev - Plovdiv.  The ensemble celebrates its 15th anniversary.

Every evening (except Wednesday, July 26) at 5.30 pm will be the parades of the ensembles. They will start from the "Levski House", will pass along the Main Street and will reach the stage on the  Stefan Stambolov square, where they will perform short concerts starting at 18.00. The program will continue with the official evening presentations of the participants on the stage of the Ancient Theatre at 20:00. In addition to the concerts in Plovdiv, there will be performances in other regions of the district.

The opening ceremony is on Monday, July 24 at 8 pm at the Ancient Theatre. The Gala Concert and the closing ceremony will take place on the same stage on the last night, Friday, July 28, at 8 pm. On 26 and 27 July, in addition to the concerts at the Ancient Theatre, there will also be an outdoor stage in Lauta Park.

All concerts are FREE ADMISSION!

Programme by days:

24.07. 2023 - Ancient Theatre - Georgia, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland and "Academic Folklore Ensemble" at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts "Prof. Assen Diamandiev" - Plovdiv

25.07. 2023 - Ancient Theater - Mexico, Georgia, Indonesia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, TS "Zora" Dance Ensemble "Zora", Dupnitsa

26.07.2023 - Ancient Theatre - Solo concert of the "Academic Folklore Ensemble" at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts "Prof. Assen Diamandiev" - Plovdiv 

In Lauta Park in Plovdiv - Indonesia, Mexico, Greece, Poland and Georgia

27.07. 2023 - Ancient Theatre - Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Indonesia and Georgia

In Lauta Park in Plovdiv - Poland

28.07. 2023 - Ancient Theatre - Georgia, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Academic Folklore Ensemble at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts "Prof. Assen Diamandiev" - Plovdiv

 

Information about the participants:

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

CULTURAL SOCIETY "PODKOZARJE"

Cultural Society "Podkozarje" was founded on 11 November 2013 and has over 250 members - folklore ensemble for folk dances and songs, children's folklore ensemble up to 12 years, brass folklore ensemble, folk orchestra and female, male and mixed vocal groups.

The ensemble includes in its repertoire 15 choreographies - stylistically processed in the context of the authentic tradition of these regions - Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.

The troupe employs renowned choreographers, musicians, ethnomusicologists, and designers associated with the creation and maintenance of the troupe's exceptional costume collection.

 

GEORGIA

ENSEMBLE Z-CARTAN

Ensemble Ze-Kartan was founded in 2015 within the Municipality of Shuakhevi. The head of the ensemble is Guram Bolkvadze. The group's repertoire includes dances from all regions of Georgia. The ensemble consists mainly of adult dancers who are also choreographers of their own children's ensembles. Since its inception, the group has participated in various government projects and competitions, won many Olympiads and has won Grand Prix and first prizes.

Ensemble Ze-Kartan has participated in international festivals in Moldova, Bulgaria, Turkey, Poland, etc.

 

GREECE

GREEK FOLK DANCE CENTRE - ENSEMBLE ELKELAM

Ensemble Elkelam was founded in 1982 with the following objectives: to conduct research and study the materials that make up Greek folk culture and Greek tradition - in particular traditional dances, music, songs and costumes.

The group has performed more than 500 concerts in Greece and has participated in more than 78 international festivals abroad in 20 different countries around the world.

 

INDONESIA

TEHGAL ART HOUSE FOUNDATION

The Tegal Art House Foundation is based in Tegal and provides a residency for performing arts artists. Tegal Art House is an organisation involved in various types of arts, both traditional and contemporary. At present, the foundation focuses on training activities in the field of dance art, organizing free classes in original dances like Karavitan, Pedalangan and Sinden.

The Tegal Art House Foundation is very active and participates in numerous national and international events and festivals every year.

 

MEXICO

MONARCA DE MEXICO DANCE COMPANY

Through its artistic activity, Monarca de México seeks to rediscover the profound meaning of Mexican dances and to present them through innovative choreographic interpretations. The troupe is socially committed and promotes the development of young talent, guided by its values: collaboration, passion, the pursuit of excellence, tolerance, pride in achievement and respect for other cultures and nations.

The Folkloric Ballet of Mexico conducts master classes for teachers and professional dancers in countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Peru, the United States, Venezuela, France, the Netherlands, Greece and Taiwan.

Monarca de México participated in Ma'ataf, the Israeli Center for the Promotion of Cultural Exchange and Folklore in 2019. In the same year, he also performed at the major International Folk Festivals in the Czech Republic, Roznovske Slavnosti and Kopanicharske Slavnosti.

Their programme includes Aztec Dance, The Sounds of the Mariachis, Veracruz: passion, love and hate, and the Bordadoras dance.

 

POLAND

JAVOR FOLK SONG AND DANCE ENSEMBLE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NATURAL SCIENCES IN THE TOWN OF LUBLIN

The Javor Folk Song and Dance Ensemble of the University of Natural Sciences in Lublin was founded in 1960. Over its 60-year history, the ensemble has built up four dance and two music groups. The ensemble is constantly enriching its repertoire, actively performs and enjoys many successes.

The ensemble's repertoire includes a mixture of dances from different regions of Poland, such as krakowien, kujawiak, polonaise and mazurka, as well as folk songs and melodies, ritual and historical reenactments. The group has performed more than 5,000 live concerts during its 125 trips abroad in over 60 countries on all continents.

 

BULGARIA

DANCE TEAM "ZORA" TO People's Community Centre "ZORA 1858", DUPNITSA

The community centre in Dupnitsa was built with donations in 1858. During these more than 150 years of its existence, its halls have been bustling with activity. People have been trained in various courses, schools and groups. With the longest history are the Bulgarian folk dance groups. Periodically the leaders have changed, but the activity has continued.

Since 2006 the choreographer is Diliana Dikanska. More than 150 dancers are willing to study Bulgarian folk dances. Their repertoire includes dances from all ethnographic regions of Bulgaria. Young children more easily perform faster, lively and emotional dances inherent to their carefree childhood. The girls and boys of the dance group have better skills and easily master the different styles of dance. They carry themselves with gentleness and humility in the Pyrrhic dances. They perform the Thracian dances with ease and grace. With verve and flamboyance they show their character in the Chop dances. They always win prizes at the competitions and festivals in which they participate.

 

BULGARIA

"ACADEMIC FOLKLOR ENSEMBLE" AT THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC, DANCE AND FINE ARTS "Prof. Assen Diamandiev"

Established in 2008. It is a young ensemble, but with already established authority and occupying its worthy place in the Bulgarian folk national culture. It is interesting to know that all three formations - folk choir, folk orchestra and dance ensemble have the status of educational ensembles, which means that their main activity is directly related to the training of students from the specialties "Performing Arts - Folk Instruments and Folk Singing", "Conducting Folk Ensembles", "Bulgarian Folk Choreography" and "Choreographic Direction".      

The folk choir consists of 12 singers who can sing in many voices according to the musical work, as well as authentic songs - one-voice and two-voice from all regions of Bulgaria. In the ensemble there are singers with bright performing qualities, possessing excellent ornamentation, timbre, range, individual style of singing characteristic for the area where each of them is from.

The folk orchestra consists of 10 musicians who are performers of traditional Bulgarian folk instruments - kaval, bagpipe, gudulka, tambura, double bass and drum. Each of them is a virtuoso on his instrument. They perform original music and authentic melodies from all over Bulgaria.

The dance group consists of 20 dancers - 10 women and 10 men. They are excellent performers of folk dances from all ethnographic regions of Bulgaria.

The Academy Folk Ensemble is the outward face of the Academy and every appearance on stage elevates its image and authority. Although very young, the Academic Folk Ensemble has already had numerous concerts and performances on national and international stages. It has won prestigious awards, the most prestigious of which is the "Grand Prix" from the international competition in. The most prestigious award of the Grand Prix Agrigento - Italy 2009.

In 2018 the ensemble received a bronze lyre from the Union of Bulgarian Music and Dance Artists for its 10th anniversary.

In 2022. The Academic Folklore Ensemble participated for the 4th time in the reviews of the professional folklore ensembles in Bulgaria, which took place in the city of Gdansk. The 4th annual meeting of the Ensemble of Folk Artists was held in Pazardzhik. This in itself is a significant recognition of the art of this young collective.