Information: Belčo Stanev, teacher of Bulgarian dance.

Belčo Stanev was born in Razgrad, North Bulgaria. A graduate of the Sofia Choreography School, he also trained at the Academy of Music and Dance in Plovdiv.

From 1960 to 1995, he led the professional Folk Ensemble Varna in the city of the same name. Belčo also founded the Varna International Folklore Festival held each summer.

Since 1980, he divides his time between Bulgaria and Germany where he conducts frequent workshops and organizes two major folk dance Camps in Obersteinbach (Easter) and Bad Bederkesa (New Year).

Founder of the Lazarka Ensemble in Munich, he has also established the annual festival of Bulgarian folk ensembles of Germany. For many years he coordinated Bulgarian summer courses for foreigners in Varna.

Belčo has taught all over Germany as well as in Australia, Austria, Belgium, England, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, and the United States. His first visit as a teacher in North America was at the 2015 Lazarovden folk dance festival in Montreal organized by Yves Moreau.

Many of his dances are already known and appreciated on this side of the Atlantic after being popularized by such teachers as Michael Ginsburg, Steve Kotansky, Yves Moreau, and Lee Otterholt.

Dances Belčo has taught include Bačkovsko Horo, Brestaška Râčenica, Čelebinsko, Ciganko. Dimitro le, Drjanovska Râčenica 2, Gajdine svirjat, Išu Nedo, Mjatalo Lenče, Oj, Pitat me mamo, and Svatba.