The RitmiKKa folk dance troupe from Hamburg, Germany, is scheduled to perform at the 11th Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance travelling festival in Munich from May 15 to 17. Kamen Kunev, the troupe’s headmaster and choreographer, stated that the performance will feature a piece created approximately 60 years ago by choreographer Zahari Andreev, whose graduate Kunev is. He emphasized the importance of staging this specific dance, asserting that the work of late legends in the performing arts must be preserved.
According to Kunev, the dance symbolizes the communal gathering in a village square. He recalled that in previous generations, evenings after fieldwork involved people gathering around a village fire for music, songs, and dance. Kunev noted that participating in the festival with this choreography aims to demonstrate unity through dance, even when members are living abroad, adding that the spirit of Bulgaria remains wherever Bulgarians gather.
The troupe will debut in new costumes, which were custom-made for the festival by fashion designer Nikolay Kolev. Preparing for the performance required an entire season of intensive rehearsals, with every detail being practiced repeatedly. The Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance travelling festival is dedicated to amateur folk ensembles performing outside of Bulgaria.
The initiative originated with the Ot Izvora group in Lyon, France, which hosted the first edition in 2015 and the tenth in 2025. The 11th edition in Munich anticipates participation from over 100 dance ensembles and an attendance of more than 4,000 guests. The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) serves as the official media partner for the event.
Topics: #dance #troupe #folk
