Eurofolk 2026 – participants
“Zlatna Trakia” Folk Ensemble from Haskovo, Bulgaria, was established in 1992. The age of the dancers in the ensemble varies between 6 and 30 years. “Zlatna Trakia” popularizes the riches of Bulgarian folklore both in Bulgaria and abroad. The repertoire includes songs, dances, and traditions from all ethnographic regions of Bulgaria. Each performance of the ensemble is a highly exciting and beautiful experience, colored by the innocent, carefree smiles of the children and the temperament of the youth inspired by the treasure house of Bulgarian folklore.
“Zlatna Trakia” Folk Ensemble has participated in many Bulgarian and foreign competitive festivals and possesses a vast collection of diplomas and awards. It has presented the great Bulgarian dances in Cyprus, Romania, Greece, Ukraine, Turkey, Serbia, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Belgium, France, Russia, Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, and others.
The group represents Greece, and more specifically the city of Arta in the region of Epirus. The city is famous for its numerous Byzantine churches, a medieval castle, and a historical bridge on the edge of the city, which is connected to a well-known myth regarding its construction.
Each Greek local costume is a specific set of clothing that characterizes a group of people living in Greece. It functions like any other clothing: it dresses and adorns the body, presenting the look that the wearer wishes to project, thereby giving them confidence and comfort. In the conservative and strict society of villages and small towns, confidence and comfort were achieved through the uniformity that a traditional costume offers. The outfit is based on tradition and conservatism, radically differing from modern fashion based on constant change.
The folk costumes for men are called “foustanela” – a traditional attire of the main pastoral groups in the Balkans. Its historical origin traces back to antiquity as an evolution of the male Doric tunic. It was adopted as a universal national clothing after the revolution of 1821. This versatile white skirt is made of many pieces of fabric; the white symbolizes the purity of national struggles, and the 400 pleats represent the 400 years of slavery. The tassels of the shoes, called “tsarouxia”, historically hid sharp objects used in battles, while the tassels on the socks symbolize the tears of Christ.
The ensemble “Adis” was founded in 2001 on the basis of the choreographic department of the Children’s School of Arts. It consists of more than 300 participants aged 4 to 35, including teachers, top students, and graduates of the school’s choreographic department. The repertoire of the ensemble includes Kyrgyz folk dances, modern dance, and dances of the world.
“Adis” participates in all major cultural events of the country. Since 2002, the ensemble has taken part in international festivals and competitions held across the CIS. This activity has been recognized with numerous diplomas, certificates, and letters of appreciation. “Adis” has achieved numerous victories, medals, and other awards.
In 2012, during the World Congress in France, the ensemble was accepted into CIOFF. Since 2010, the “Adis” vocal-choreographic ensemble has been cooperating and participating in international festivals held under the auspices of CIOFF. The group has represented Kyrgyz folk art in various countries, such as Hungary, Turkey, India, France, the Kingdom of Morocco, Romania, Serbia, Greece, Italy, and others.
In every country where the ensemble has performed, audiences have been highly impressed by their level of virtuosity, original national costumes, and the energetic nature of their dances. Kyrgyz music is nomadic and rural, closely related to Turkmen and Kazakh folk traditions. Kyrgyz folk music is characterized by the use of long, sustained pitches.
The group will perform “Paltan Nong-yo” at the Eurofolk festival. This is a traditional Korean folk performance originating from the Paltan-myeon region in South Korea. In 2022, it was inscribed on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of Gyeonggi-do Province as property number 65. The performance reflects the spirit of collective work and the joy of the Korean peasant community, combining rhythmic work songs with dynamic dance movements.
Last year, the group participated in the Folk Monção festival in Portugal and a festival in Sivrihisar, Turkey.
Celebrating sixty years of a love affair with Querétaro. Since its beginnings as the Querétaro Indigenous and Traditional Dance Group, founded in the artistic heart of its Alma Mater, the ensemble has embraced the mission of celebrating Querétaro’s identity both in Mexico and worldwide, sharing deeply rooted popular traditions through rich and varied artistic mediums such as dance, drama, film, television, and literature. The group has undertaken more than 20 international tours, bringing Mexican folklore to the world stage.
Thanks to the cultural heritage researched for over 50 years by Professor Aurora Zúñiga and brought to fruition by Professor Dolores Zúñiga and Héctor Córdoba through a wide variety of cultural programs, the ensemble is proudly recognized as an official Cultural Heritage of its University.
Folk Dance Ensemble “Jawor” was founded in 1960 on the initiative of Bogusław Szot and Józef Dzik. The ensemble’s repertoire includes medleys of Polish regional dances as well as Polish national dances. The program is complemented by folk songs and melodies, along with ritual and historical performances.
The ensemble has presented Polish folklore in nearly 5,000 concerts and has completed almost 120 international tours, visiting more than 60 countries across all continents. Particularly notable performances include concerts aboard the Polish transatlantic liner Stefan Batory during its voyage to Canada in 1982, a performance for Indira Gandhi in 1984, concerts at Walt Disney World in Florida in 1994, and performances at the Māori Cultural Centre in Rotorua, New Zealand in 2002.
For its achievements, the ensemble has received numerous awards, including the Oskar Kolberg Medal (2000), the honorary title “Ambassador of the Lublin Voivodeship” (2003), and the Silver Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis (2010).
OKUD Sveti Sava (Saint Sava) is a cultural society from Nova Pazova, a town located 20 kilometers from Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia. Founded in 2002, the society has worked continuously ever since. Its activities are divided into several sections, engaging over 140 members. The folklore section is the largest, alongside drama and art sections.
Within the folklore section, the society successfully runs a children’s ensemble, a performing ensemble, a ballet studio, a national orchestra, as well as male and female vocal groups. The repertoire consists of traditional songs and dances from all over the country, featuring over 20 chorographies from different regions of Serbia. Every choreography is tailored to songs and dances specific to each region. Costumes are specially crafted to authentically represent the original clothing of each area. The society pays exceptional attention to the quality of its performances, as evidenced by numerous awards won over the past years. The ensemble currently holds over 20 plaques from regional and national festivals in Serbia.
The members of the ensemble can easily perform a full two-hour show, which has already been staged not only in every major city in Serbia but also in North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Poland, and Russia. Eager to perform on great stages worldwide, the ensemble remains dedicated to sharing the beauty of Serbian songs and dances, discovering other cultures, and connecting with people through music.
Trinity Irish Dance Ensemble is a unique Irish dance performing arts training program. In perfect balance with competitive solo and team dancing, the Ensemble program develops dancers as performing artists, providing immersive dance education and performance opportunities, all while offering extensive leadership and character-building experiences.
Rooted in traditional Irish dance and music, Trinity Irish Dance Ensemble explores and expands upon Irish culture through the lens of the performing arts. From high-energy soft shoe dances to percussive hard shoe dances and traditional Irish céilí dances, Trinity Irish Dance Ensemble showcases the wide range of the Irish dance art form.
Since its creation in the early 1990s, Trinity Irish Dance Ensemble has been performing at festivals all over the world, showcasing Irish culture through music and dance.
