The Ludi-Mladi folk ensemble from Montpellier, France, is scheduled to perform at the 11th edition of the traveling festival Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance, taking place from May 15 to 17 at BMW Park in Munich. The performance, titled “In the Embrace of the Flame,” will showcase a love story symbolizing enduring affection, both personal and towards Bulgarian traditions. According to the ensemble’s director, Iva Milkova, the dance draws inspiration from the Nestinarstvo fire-dancing rite, aiming to remind audiences of their heritage and the unifying power of culture.
Milkova stated the performance is a tribute to history, expressed through a dual narrative: love for a person and love for tradition. The choreography features two sections: an introduction with free, rhythm bagpipe music, followed by a more dynamic segment incorporating combinations of the Kopanitsa and a rearrangement of the horo dance Aidar Abasi. The creative team includes choreographers Nikolay Zagorov, Evgenia Ivanova, and Preslav Varbanov.
The ensemble aims for the audience to contemplate the sacrifices made for love, regardless of the object of that affection, ultimately leading to a consideration of personal choice and inner moral compass. Milkova also detailed the ludi group’s background. Established in 2013 to promote Bulgarian folk dances among compatriots, the ensemble quickly gained momentum, leading to the founding of the Bulgarian School for Folk Dances in Montpellier.
The festival itself, organized for amateur folklore groups outside Bulgaria, is expected to host over 100 dance groups and 4,000 guests in Munich. Milkova reflected on the experience of hosting the event, noting that organization requires meticulous attention to detail to create a temporary “homeland” for participants.
Topics: #ensemble #folk #ludi
