The Ludi-Mladi folk ensemble from Montpellier, France, is scheduled to perform at the 11th edition of the Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance festival in Munich, Germany, from May 15 to 17. The performance, titled “In the Embrace of the Flame,” will feature a narrative about enduring love. Iva Milkova, the ensemble’s director, stated that the dance draws inspiration from the Nestinarstvo fire-dancing rite, symbolizing both personal and national devotion.
She explained that the performance aims to remind the audience of the struggles endured by the Bulgarian nation and the enduring power of unity and tradition. The piece explores a double love story: one for a person and one for tradition. Choreographically, the performance is divided into two sections.
It begins with free, rhythm bagpipe music before transitioning into a more dynamic segment incorporating combinations of the Kopanitsa and an arrangement of the horo dance Aidar Abasi. The creative team includes choreographers Nikolay Zagorov, Evgenia Ivanova, and Preslav Varbanov. Milkova noted that the ensemble, composed of 12 dancers—six students aged 18–24 and six older participants aged 38–50—is nearing completion of choreography mastery.
Milkova also provided insight into the ensemble’s history. Ludi-Mladi was established in 2013 to promote Bulgarian folk dances among compatriots in the region. The organization’s growth led to the establishment of the Bulgarian School for Folk Dances in Montpellier.
The festival itself is organized for amateur folk ensembles performing outside Bulgaria, with the 11th edition in Munich anticipating over 100 groups and 4,000 attendees. Milkova reflected on the experience of hosting the event, noting that organizing it requires meticulous attention to detail to create a supportive community space for Bulgarians abroad.
Topics: #ensemble #folk #ludi
Sounds like a wonderful cultural event to look forward to in Munich.