site.btaFebruary 5, 1951: National School of Dance Arts Is Established in Sofia

The National School of Dance Arts (NSDA) was founded on February 5, 1951. To this day, it remains the only educational institution in Bulgaria, and one of the few in the Balkans, offering professional training in classical ballet, Bulgarian folk dance, and modern dance.

It trains dancers from grade 5th to 12th and its students follow a full general education curriculum as per the Education Ministry guidelines, alongside specialized dance training in the school’s 18 state-of-the-art dance studios.

The school was founded on the initiative of Anastas Petrov, the pioneer of professional Bulgarian ballet, and with the support of Russian ballet teacher Vladimir Belyi, NSDA initially operated as the State Ballet School, focusing solely on classical dance, NSDA says on its website. It was later renamed the State Choreographic School after expanding to offer  traditional Bulgarian dance in 1956, under the guidance of choreographer Kiril Haralampiev. In 2004, modern dance was added as a third programme.

NSDA has earned the Order of Cyril and Methodius, First Class, the Crystal Lyre Award, and twice won the prestigious Golden Lyre from the Union of Music and Dance Artists for its contributions to ballet and dance. It is also a member of the Council of European Scientific and Cultural Societies and holds distinctions including the Golden Book and the Golden Seal for its excellence in European cultural management. Additionally, NSDA is an associate member of UNESCO.

The institution’s students, trained by a highly qualified teaching staff, have won prestigious ballet competitions in Bulgaria and abroad, including the International Ballet Competition in Varna, the Anastas Petrov Ballet Competition, and international ballet contests in Paris, Moscow, Osaka, and Grasse.

As of 2001, on its 50th anniversary, the school attained the status of a national school and was officially renamed the National School of Dance Arts. It was included in Bulgaria's network of 23 arts and culture schools under the Ministry of Culture.