Bandûlgarski narodni tantsi

Bulgarian Folk Dances collected and choreographed by Eddy Tijssen

Kyustendilska rûchenitsa - Ivo Lolov
Chetvorno horo - Emil Mladenov & Emil Kolev
Ograzhdensko horo - Angel Lachev
Belishko horo - Belitsa orchestra
Pravo zhensko horo - Kosta Kolev's orchestra
Svatbarska rûchenitsa - Petko Radev & Ivan Kirev

Sitno kraydunavsko horo - Chanove orchestra
Mariykino - Dimitûr Dimitrov
Opas - Dobrudzhanskata Troika
Pandelash - Nikola Ganchev
Dvazhdi, trizhdi (Twice, thrice)- Boika Prisadova
Rodopska syuita - Shiroka Lûka school

Eddy Tijssen (1950) is a dance teacher, artist, musician, and choreographer.

Since graduating from the Folkloreistisch Danstheater, a professional ensemble for international folk dances in Amsterdam, Eddy has devoted himself fully to his great love – Bulgarian folklore, music, and dance. He is a skilled performer on the kaval (open-ended flute) and takes every opportunity to improve still further his mastery of this national instrument.

As well as being a musician he also teaches and presents his dances and choreographies at many courses of Bulgarian folk dances in the Netherlands and neighboring countries.

To enlarge his knowledge in other dance and body techniques, he has trained in classical and modern dance, creative movement, and yoga. He has been a student at the Dance Academies of Amsterdam and Rotterdam, to which he has since returned as a guest teacher.

On frequent visits to Bulgaria he has studied further at the National school for leaders of amateur ensembles in Plovdiv as well as with many national professional and amateur groups.

Since 1970 he has made extensive tours of the Pirin area, Thrace, and Dobrudja, attended regional dance and song contests, and visited the fourth and fifth National Festival of Folk Arts in Koprivshtitsa. This has enabled him to obtain an even better insight into not only the specific style and characteristic details of the dances, but also into the folkloristic tradition and spirit of the Bulgarians.

Eddy Tijssen is now the artistic leader and choreographer of Praznik, an amateur ensemble in Rotterdam, whose repertoire includes dances from all the ethnographic regions of Bulgaria. He is also a soloist musician in the ensemble's orchestra.

His dedication to dance, presenting day projects to young people and encouraging their participation at all levels and also in giving performances and courses ensures a permanent presence and popularity of Bulgarian folklore in the Netherlands. – Dimitûr Doichinov, choreographer

Released in March, 1988