Category Archives: Bulgarian folklore music and dances

Bulgarian Folklore

The Bulgarian national costume is an intrinsic part of Bulgarian lifestyle and culture. Over the ages, folk costume designs have been influenced by Thracian, Slavonic and ancient Bulgarian motives. The basic article of clothing is a white shirt with long sleeves, worn under vests and coats of various shapes, materials and decorations. There are four…
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Strandja folklore region

Strandja is the land of the nestinars. Those are the people who dance on live coals barefoot, as if they are protected by unknown power. It is a rite full of mysticism, superstition, and faith. The music comes out of the depths of the supernatural. The whole village gets involved in the celebration, but only…
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Pirin (Macedonian) folklore region

The dances of Pirin region are diverse and are divided into male and female. The female dances are mostly accompanied by songs, and are of moderate tempo. Those horo dances may be performed in a circle, semicircle, straight line, or by individuals. The male dances unfold in a faster pace thanks to the instrumental accompaniment.…
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Severnyashka (Northern Bulgaria) folklore region

The Northern Bulgaria region features very rich and varied both musical and dance material. Due to the folklore diversity, it is divided into: Western part: The horo dances abound with brisk movements, a lot of stomping, syncopation, interlacing. They are performed with fast legs, and are accompanied by a very characteristic whooping. The female costume…
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