Folklore magic enchants Lyulin Ensemble dancers for 40 years

The ceremonial celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Folklore Ensemble Lyulin will begin on February 26 with the exhibition "Forty Years in Forty Photos" and a blessing ceremony in front of the Municipality of the largest Sofia district, Lyulin.In 1986, pouring all their heart and soul into the project, Dimitrinka Lazarova, on whose initiative the ensemble was founded, along with choreographer Todor Karapchanski, the distinguished Bulgarian musician and long-time conductor of the Bulgarian National Radio Folk Orchestra Dobrin Panayotov, choir conductor Keti Panaytova, and orchestra conductor Valentin Yankov, left behind more than just a legacy—they made a pledge that their ensemble would preserve and pass on the beauty of Bulgarian folklore, its customs, and traditions.

"The ensemble had a difficult start. It was under the administration of the Lyulin Municipality, and when funding was cut, the ensemble had to suspend its activities in 1996", says artistic director Darina Vladimirova.

In 2000, this determined woman revived the ensemble almost from scratch and brought it to new heights.

''We started operating under the Lyulin Cultural Center. In two schools in the Lyulin district, we set up choreography classes because the children needed opportunities to develop and dance. Thanks to this, we were able to continue the ensemble’s activities. Later, we brought together singers and thus restored the Lyulin Ensemble, meaning we now have both dancers and singers. We don’t have an orchestra as the cost of maintaining one is beyond our means'', says Darina Vladimirova.

Currently, the ensemble includes over 100 children – four groups of dancers, young singers, as well as a women’s choir conducted by Bilyana Sokolova.

''This means that these children will continue to grow and carry on the tradition. At our anniversary concert ‘Life in Rhythm: 40 Years of the Lyulin Folklore Ensemble’ on March 15, the ensemble’s very first dancers will also be performing'', says Darina Vladimirova.

The ensemble’s repertoire includes dances from all of Bulgaria’s folklore regions, though the choreographer’s heart belongs to the Northern Bulgarian (Severnyashka) folklore region.

''I am from Veliko Tarnovo, and naturally, my favorite dances are from Northern Bulgaria. We are performing ‘Veselie’, which Genyo Genev created for us to music by Obreshko Obreshkov. We revived this very old dance and he was very enthusiastic about it. Despite his age—he is now 93—we stay in touch with him and hope he will attend our celebration'', says Darina Vladimirova.

The dance “Veselie” is just one part of the program that the Lyulin Ensemble has prepared for its anniversary concert, which will feature musicians from the Bulgarian National Radio Folk Orchestra.

''The audience will be able to enjoy not only the pieces we have performed over the years, but also a new production called ‘Shopski Usukanitsi’, choreographed by Marian Vasilev to the rendition of the Bulgarian National Radio Folk Orchestra'', Darina Vladimirova goes on to say.

It is no surprise that the Lyulin Folk Ensemble has earned- and continues to earn- numerous awards both in Bulgaria and abroad. 

''The children have won first prize countless times! - Darina Vladimirova proudly says. - The older dancers performed at an international festival in Italy, while the younger ones went to Turkiye. Every year we have such opportunities, which motivates our performers and bring them closer together. In 2012, the Lyulin Ensemble represented Bulgaria among 43 countries at a festival organized by Turkish Radio and Television.

The ensemble has participated in countless events. That’s why it’s so important to preserve Bulgarian traditions, especially ensembles like ours! May Bulgarian folklore be cherished by Bulgarians and foreigners alike, as it has sustained us over the years. Bulgarian traditions and customs are what bring our compatriots together abroad during our wonderful celebrations'', concluded Darina Vladimirova.

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov