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 depict a love story resilient to obstacles. Inspired by the Nestinarstvo fire-dancing rite, the performance symbolizes eternal love, extending to both personal connections and the traditions of the Bulgarian nation.
Milkova explained that the performance aims to remind the audience of their heritage and the challenges faced by the nation, emphasizing that unity and tradition have historically been its safeguard. The show will explore a dual narrative: one of personal love and one of cultural tradition. Choreographically, the piece features an opening segment with free, rhythmic bagpipe music, followed by a more dynamic section incorporating elements 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 objective, Milkova noted, is for the audience to contemplate the sacrifices made for love in any form, prompting reflection on the value of those sacrifices and the acceptability of pain. Ludi-Mladi, founded in 2013 in Montpellier to promote Bulgarian folk dances, has since become an established group.
Milkova also shared that hosting the festival taught them that successful events require meticulous planning, creating a temporary “homeland” for the community. The festival itself, which showcases amateur folklore ensembles outside Bulgaria, anticipates over 100 groups and 4,000 attendees in Munich.
Topics: #ensemble #folk #ludi
