The Ludi-Mladi folk ensemble from Montpellier, France, is scheduled to participate in the 11th edition of the traveling festival Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance, taking place at BMW Park in Munich from May 15 to 17. The ensemble’s director, Iva Milkova, stated that their performance, titled “In the Embrace of the Flame,” will convey a narrative of enduring love overcoming obstacles. The choreography draws inspiration from the Nestinarstvo fire-dancing rite, symbolizing both personal and national dedication to Bulgarian traditions.
Milkova explained that the performance aims to remind the audience of their origins and the resilience of the Bulgarian nation, emphasizing that unity and tradition have historically been its saviors. The double love story presented will be dedicated both to a person and to culture. Choreographically, the piece features an introductory segment with free, rhythm bagpipe music, followed by a more dynamic section 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. The ensemble’s message, according to Milkova, encourages the audience to reflect on the sacrifices made for love, regardless of its object, prompting consideration of the value of pain and personal choice. The Ludi-Mladi ensemble, founded in 2013 to promote Bulgarian folk dances among compatriots in the region, has since become a significant cultural presence.
The festival itself, organized by the Ot Izvora group, anticipates over 100 dance ensembles and 4,000 guests for the Munich event.
Topics: #ensemble #folk #ludi
