Bandûlgarski narodni tantsi

Yves Moreau's first record.

Kulsko horo
Deninka
Dospatsko horo
Radomirsko horo
Kokiche
Denyovo horo

Pandalash
Bichak
Baldûzka
Abdala
Opas
Chekuryankino horo

Folk dances form an important part of Bulgaria's national culture. The wealth of rhythms and melodies and the great variety of figures, steps, and rapidity of movements demonstrated in the chain dances or horos, embody the creative genius handed down from generation to generation.

The horo is a popular dance which holds a central place in the social and domestic life of rural Bulgaria. Until recently, the horo was danced every Sunday and holidays, all over Bulgaria, by young and old. Even today, folk dancing is still a beloved entertainment among Bulgarians on wedding days, at country fairs, regional festivals, and big national festivities. Many dances are connected with various rituals and customs. In some villages, the old tradition of dancing every Sunday has not disappeared. Presently, in every region, there are local horos and versions of widely known types of dances which reflect the local taste and character of the people.

The names of some dances and tunes refer to the town or village they come from: Radomirsko, Kulsko, etc. Other names originate from a person's name: Denjovo, Gankino, Daychovo, etc. Often, dances are related to the milieu in which they were danced or would indicate a craft guild: Grûncharsko Horo (potter's dance), Kasapsko (butcher's), Kalaydzhisko (tinsmith's), etc. With a fine feeling for precision, the people define the character of the dance with one word or adjective: Tropanko Horo (stamped), Vlacheno (drawn out), Hodeno (walked), Hripkano (hopped), Tûrchano (running), Kutso (limping), Edro (large-stepped), Sitno (small-stepped), and Surnato (dashed).

The character of some dances is described sometimes by the names of animals: Ovchata (sheep's), Rakovata (crab's), Konskata (horse's), Mecheshkata (bear's), Gûshata (duck's) and Zayeshkata (rabbit's). With steps and gestures, the dancers imitate motions characteristic of the respective animals.

The 2/4 beat is the most common dance rhythm in Bulgaria. The Pravo Horo, using this beat, is a small-stepped horo with a moderate to very fast tempo. The Pravo is often simply called "the horo" and it is danced to several tunes which frequently give the dance its name. For this reason, horos of the same type often have different names. However, the most characteristic rhythms of Bulgarian dance music are the ones which are the foundation of many unequal beats such as: 5/16 ··. (Paydushko Horo), 7/16a ···. (Rûchenitsa), 7/16b ·.·· (Chetvorno or Denyovo), 8/16 ·.··. (Arnautsko), 9/16a ····. (Daychovo), 9/16b ··.·· (Grûncharsko), 11/16 ···.·· (Gankino or Kopanitsa), 13/16 ······. (Tsone Milo Chedo), 7/16+11/16 ·.·· ···.·· (Yove Male Mome), and other different combinations of horos with unequal beats.

Very often, the horos are performed to a song in which a group of singers sing first and another repeats the same verse in an antiphonical manner. The Bulgarian musical instruments used today have a long history of development and they vary greatly. Among the most popular are: the gayda (bagpipe), kaval (long pipe), duduk (block pipe), gûdulka (rebec), and more seldom, the tambura (a kind of mandoline). For percussion, the tûpan, a drum using two beating sticks of various size, is widely used in orchestras accompanying dancers. In the Western part of Bulgaria, many horos are danced only to the sound of the tûpan. In the past two centuries however, instruments like the violin and clarinet have appeared in Bulgaria and have been widely used by talented musicians. In the first quarter of the 20th century, the trumpet and accordion made their way to small folk orchestras.

Encouraged by a special Institute of Amateur Artistic Activity, thousands of folklore groups and companies have been created in Bulgarian towns and villages. These amateur ensembles follow the methods set forth by the bigger professional companies in Sofia and Blagoevgrad. At present, there are over 2000 amateur groups attached to various cultural organizations, schools, factories, trade unions, etc. Many of them have travelled abroad to represent Bulgaria at International competitions and have been awarded numerous first prizes and awards. – Rayna Katsarova