- Home
- Balkan folk dances
-
Bulgarian
Bulgarian folk dances
-
Signa [Northwest Bulgaria]
-
Izruchana [Northwest Bulgaria]
-
Sitno Severnjasko Horo [North Bulgaria]
-
Na Purt [North Bulgaria]
-
Danubian Horo [North Bulgaria]
-
Cesta Krivica [North Bulgaria]
-
Petrunino [Sopluk, Bulgaria]
-
Dvazdi Trizdi [Rhodopes, Bulgaria]
-
Krucmarsko [Bulgaria]
-
Danets [Dobrudza, Bulgaria]
-
Ludo Mlado [Pirin, Bulgaria]
-
Aj Da Idem Jano [Pirin, Bulgaria]
Aj Da Idem Jano is a dance from the Pirin region of Bulgaria. There seem to be a few versions of it but we learned ours from Boris Dimitrov of Balkanfolk.
-
Ajde Razbole Se [Pirin, Bulgaria]
-
Balutsa [Northwest Bulgaria]
-
Bobovdolsko Horo [Sopluk, Bulgaria]
-
Bulcenska Racenica [Bulgaria]
-
Celebinsko [Trakia, Bulgaria]
Celebinsko is a choreography by Belco Stanev with great music in an interesting meter. It's 9/8 divided : 2 3 2 2. In the vocal part, the steps are exactly on the meter: QSQQ, but in the instrumental refrain, half a bar is added 2 3 (QS). The steps are in 2 2 2 3 (QQQS) and the missing half bar 2 2 (QQ) is added at the end so that is missing (mathematically).
-
Dobrudzanska Reka [Dobrudza, Bulgaria]
A fantastic version of Dobrudzanska Reka that someone shared with us. It's a very typical melody from Drobrudza that sounds like many others but we are just dancing a simple reka to it.
-
Eleno Mome [Bulgaria]
Eleno Mome is a Bulgarian dance with unclear regional roots that has become popular in other countries as well. While it's only a best guess, the dance seems to have originated in the north and today it is danced all over Bulgaria.
According to Joe Graziozi, the Greek version is found mostly in the northern parts of the province of Macedonia from Florina-Kastoria in the west to Drama in the east. Interestingly, it is not danced in Greek Thrace nor among the Greeks of Bulgaria who resettled throughout Macedonia and Thessaly in the 1920s but is primarily associated with the (former) slavic Macedonian villages of these regions. It has become a standard among most dance troupes throughout the country. There are numerous recordings, all instrumental, performed by local bands throughout Macedonia, from brass to zourna to gaida to lyra & dahare.
-
Eski [Pirin, Bulgaria]
-
Gankino Horo [North Bulgaria]
Gankino (Ganka's dance) seems to be used mostly in Northern Bulgaria (N.W. and North Central). The basic Gankino Horo is a three-measure dance using the step structure also common in the dances: Dunavsko (Danubian Pravo), Povarnoto (also known as Devetorka in Macedonia) and Eleno Mome.
-
Gergana [Trakia, Bulgaria]
-
Graovsko Horo [Sopluk, Bulgaria]
Graovsko is a Bulgarian Shope dance from the "Sitno Shopsko" family of dances, of which Graovsko in 2/4 and Kyustendilska Racenica in 7/16 are the most familiar examples.
Similar dances can be found in the Shope regions of Macedonia (Shopkata, Berovka) and Serbia (Pesacka).
10 measures, the running sequence, and the "suprise" movements are common signature features of Shope dances.
The second version is a rendition by Raquy and the Cavemen.
The third version is a modern melody for Kyustendilska Racenica, which for some folk dancers, is a completely different dance.
-
Ihitimanska Kopanica [Trakia, Bulgaria]
-
Izgrala E Mesecinka [Trakia, Bulgaria]
-
Jampolsko Pajdusko [Trakia, Bulgaria]
Pajdusko/Paidushko/Baidushka, etc. is a family of dances usually danced to 5/16 or 5/8 (Q S) rhythm and found in a large area spanning Serbia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, and beyond. It is the classic aksak (Turkish for limping) dance and rhythm. Its various forms reflect local preferences. This one is from the Jambol region in Trakia, and was first introduced in the States by Dick Crum.
-
Jove Malaj Mome [Sopluk, Bulgaria]
Jove Malaj Mome is a Shope dance from Bulgaria in 18/16 meter with alternating bars of 7+11. For dancers, the count is
1& 23 123& 45 or SQQ-QQSQQ. This is a great version of the music, with singing, from the highly recommended Best of Nama CD. -
Jove [Sopluk, Bulgaria]
-
Kalipetrovo (Reka) [Dobrudza, Bulgaria]
-
Kasapsko Horo [North Bulgaria]
-
Kate Licno Devoishe [Pirin, Bulgaria]
-
Katerino Mome [Pirin, Bulgaria]
-
Kopanica from Gabra [Sopluk, Bulgaria]
-
Kopanica Gankino [Sopluk, Bulgaria]
-
Krivo Sadovsko Horo [Trakia, Bulgaria]
-
Kukuvicka [Bulgaria]
-
Kumovo Horo [Bulgaria]
-
Kulskoto (Arap) [Pirin, Bulgaria]
-
Liljano Mome [Pirin, Bulgaria]
-
Lukovitsko Horo [North, Bulgaria]
-
Mizijsko Horo [North Bulgaria]
-
More Sokol Pie [Pirin, Bulgaria]
-
Na Megdana [Pirin, Bulgaria]
Na Megdana is a classic, famous medley of songs and music used for a set of dances originally performed by the Ensemble "Pirin" of Blagoevgrad. The music was arranged by Prof. Kiril Stefanov and the choreography was created by Kiril Djenev. The songs are in Pirin dialect. The words for Aj da idem, Jano were provided to us by Boris Dimitrov from Balkanfolk.
- Aj da idem, Jano
- Kitchitse
- Sednala e Jano
- Gelemino Mome le Jubava
- dance with zurna and tapan accompaniment, used by Yves Moreau for the dance Razlozhko
- O Jano, Jano Mori
- Kitchitse to the end of the medley
-
Narodno Horo [Bulgaria]
-
Ne Pribirai Mila [Pirin Bulgaria]
-
Ograzdensko Horo [Pirin, Bulgaria]
-
Opas [Bulgaria, Dobrudza]
-
Oriahovsko Vlasko [Northwest Bulgaria]
-
Pazardijska Kopanica [Trakia, Bulgaria]
-
Perniska Kopanica [Sopluk, Bulgaria]
-
Pavle Mi Pie (Petricko Horo) [Pirin, Bulgaria]
Petricko Horo is a Bulgarian dance from Pirin that is one of our favorites. The song that we dance it to, Pavle Mi Pie, is a well known song. You can see a live performance of it on YouTube.
-
Pitat Me Mamo [Pirin, Bulgaria]
-
Pravo Horo [Trakia, Bulgaria]
-
Pravo Trakisko Icapras [Trakia, Bulgaria]
-
Reka [Dobrudza, Bulgaria]
-
Sborenka [Dobrudza, Bulgaria]
-
Sedi Donka [Trakia, Bulgaria]
One of the most unusal musical patterns in Bulgaria, Sedi Donka is in 25/16 meters: 1& 2 3 1& 2 3 1 2 3& 4 5. This music is from Boris Dimitrov from Balkanfolk.
-
Shopsko Horo [Bulgaria]
-
Sirto [Pirin, Bulgaria]
-
Sitnata [North Bulgaria]
-
Sitno Vlasko (Vidinkso) [Northwest Bulgaria]
-
Stano Stanke [Bulgaria]
-
Talima [Dobrudza, Bulgaria]
-
Tervelska Sborenka [Dobrudza, Bulgaria]
Sborenka is the generic, family name for a certain type of dance commonly found in Dobrudja, like Reka and Tropanka. This dance, like many others, is named after the region it is from: Tervelska Sborenka (Sborenka from Tervel). The music is a recording of Stefan Georgiev playing the accordion.
-
Trakijska Racenica [Trakia, Bulgaria]
-
Triti Pati [Trakia, Bulgaria]
-
Veselinovo Horo [North Bulgaria]
-
Zizaj Nane (Daicovo Horo) [North Bulgaria]
