FOLKART 2005 (CUBA, POLAND, SCOTLAND)

Bulgaria, PIRIN from Blagoevgrad

PIRIN is one of the most prestigious and best known Bulgarian folklore groups, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2004. Pirin dancers are known to be tremendous dancers delivering blazing performances.

Italy: ASSOCIAZIONE PER LE TRADIZIONI POPOLARI TISCALI DORGALI, DORGALI

This group of Italian folklore dancers joined by their love towards the Sardinian culture and tradition is famous for its authentic dances and the special technique used by its male singers.

Cuba: CONJUNTO ARTISTICO MARAGUÁN, UNIVERSIDAD DE CAMAGÜEY, CAMAGÜEY

Founded 1981 in Camagüey city this folklore ensemble is one of the most prestigious cultural emblems of Cuba, the island where dance, music and traditions are part of everyday life.

Mexico: BALLET FOLCKLORICO POLICROMÍA MEXICANA OF MONTERREY

Straight from Mexico comes a dynamic group of tremendous folklore dancers who have merged Mexican traditions and their own talents into a true dance and music firework.

POLJSKA: THE ACADEMIC DANCE GROUP OF SILESIAN TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY DABROWIACY, KATOWICE

This academic folklore group from Dabrowiacy University is a regular guest on folklore festivals around the world. With an immensely rich repertoire of Polish dances and songs the devoted dancers are making a significant contribution to keeping Polish customs and traditions alive.

Scotland: NEW SCOTLAND & COUNTRY DANCE SOCIETY, EDINBURGH

The Edinburgh University New Scotland Country Dance Society exists in this form since 1951. Ever since is has been extremely active at home and abroad. Today it counts over 150 members and its main aim is to promote Scottish culture through dancing. Its dancing repertoire includes everything from ceilidh dancing, Highland dancing and Scottish step dancing up to country dancing.

Slovenia: AFS ŠTUDENT, Maribor (host of FOLKARTA 2005)

This three-times-awarded academic folklore dance group from Maribor was founded in 1964. Its repertoire is based on an extensive research on Slovene folk singing conducted at the Music Institute. As a co-producer and host of the international folklore festival FOLKART members of this ensemble do their best to make their foreign fellow dancers feet at home.

Slovenia: METLIŠKA FOLKLORNA SKUPINA »IVAN NAVRATIL«, Metlika

The group from Metlika preserves customs and traditions of Bela Krajina - the southern-most Slovenian region known for its picturesque landscape. The dancers are all dressed in white linen clothes. This region used to be very poor, so all its residents could afford were plain white linen clothes.

Slovenia: FOLKLORNA SKUPINA EMONA, LJUBLJANA

In 1967 a group of enthusiasts founded a folklore group and named it after the first important settlement on the site of Ljubljana, dating way back to the Roman Empire. In all those years the group has had over 1600 members. Some of the very first members are active even today.

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