site.btaDance Ensemble from Gelsenkirchen/Essens to Perform Pirin Dance in Munich

Galeni Momi i Momtsi s Kitka, a dance ensemble for traditional Bulgarian dance in Gelsenkirchen/Essens, Germany, will participate in the 11th edition of the traveling festival Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance, set to take place from May 15 to 17 at BMW Park in Munich.

Leaders of the ensemble, Galena Dimova and Evelina Stefanova, said the group was formed from two earlier ensembles and has grown into a single troupe of 25 dancers, ready to present a Pirin dance choreographed and accompanied by music from Tsvetina Gramova. "Our ensemble is colorful and inspiring, with dancers aged 9 to 65. Even children from our school are eager to take the stage," they noted.

The directors recalled that during last year’s festival in Lyon, France, the music stopped mid-performance, which motivated them to perform this year with live music. They will be joined by talented children from the Srednogortsi school in Pirdop, supporting the special presentation.

Dimova and Stefanova described the dance as telling a story in the spirit of this year’s motto, "Libe le, libe hubavo": a tale of two young lovers meeting and expressing their joy through the energetic and celebratory steps of the Pirin dance. "Preparation for the festival is more than rehearsals — it unites us and reminds us why we are together. Each dancer gives their heart to show the beauty and emotion of Bulgarian dance," they said, inviting audiences in Munich to experience the performance.

The travelling festival Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance is organized by and for amateur folklore ensembles performing outside Bulgaria. The initiative was launched by the Ot Izvora group in Lyon, France, which hosted both the first edition in 2015 and the tenth edition in 2025. More than 100 dance ensembles and over 4,000 guests are expected at the 11th edition in Munich in May. The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is the official media partner of the event and will present all participants.