The magic of Bulgarian folk dances is unique.

The movements, the rhythm, the costumes are part of the Bulgarian essence, preserved over the centuries and conveying to the world the rich soul of the Bulgarian people.

The secret of the Bulgarian people... The Horo dances in the past had another function.

It was a sacred ritual aimed at union. In the center of the village, of the city, both young and old got involved in the dance. All generations and the whole community – in one common rhythm.

Those dancing to the same beat wanted to merge their souls with nature and their Creator. Every single detail of the Horo is thought out very carefully to create a powerful vibration for people to connect with the Cosmos. Exclamation, vocals, hand movements, rhythm, steps and clothes. All of them create a small universe of energy, mysticism and magic that is a powerful and contagious energy of life itself.

Since ancient times, on our lands, the Thracians have played in a circle, holding hands, with which they expressed respect for the Sun.
It is assumed that this is where the uneven beats that distinguish us from the music and dances of other people come from.

It is the famous 7/16 dance with the name coming from the “waves” of the hands (hand - ръка ).

The simple characteristic is that it has 2 fast times and one slow time. Or two fast and one slow like a pulsation... It is actually the same pulsation of the rhythm of the human heart- 2 fast and one slow pulsation… and any good cardiologist will confirm this for you.

In the same measure is the rhythm of the so-called Heavenly Cavalry, as well as the roar of a herd of Thracian horses…

In the long forgotten past, when the Thracians attacked with large teams of horses, a rumble of the same rhythm was heard from afar...

7/16 looked at from another perspective is 7 times 7 (1+6=7)... which is 49, namely 49 are the subtle bodies of the “ human apparatus”.

The Rachenitca dance is widespread in all ethnographic regions of Bulgaria. It is danced both as a round dance and in pairs. Dancing in pairs on occasions has a pinch of seductive and erotic character, it is always danced between a man and a woman, and the contests between them very often ends with the girl allowing the boy to win, joyfully after a preliminary bet with the bachelor.

Love and Happiness? Yes! It is embedded in the dance.

The Rachenitsa dance is one of the most harmonizing and lively rhythms in our rich palette of dances, and one of our oldest.

It contains a lot of knowledge, a multi-level understanding of the world around us and the cosmos as a vast system of realms, a lot of sacred symbols applied in customs and woven into the folk psychology of our people.

The ability to dance Rachenitca is inherent in every Bulgarian, and he/she must proudly pass this knowledge on to future generations.

Carried down to the present day by our ancestors, we are the ones who will pass it on to the future…

Rachenitsa is the most popular Bulgarian old folklore dance. It is danced by all from the youngest to the oldest, from small villages to big cities.

The famous Bulgarian choreographer Boris Tsonev calls it the "crown of all other folk dances". The single (solo) Rachenitsa dance is the most unique and original folk dance.

In the single performance of the “Handpiece”, each dancer gives their individual interpretation performance. In this game, there are "tremblings, conflicts, fury, satisfaction, pride, reconciliation, love, hatred, timidity, and determination..." (B. Tsonev)

The body is free only in the “solo hand” to drift in all directions because the dancers are not holding one another during the dance.

The Bulgarian Rachenitsa - as it is known to all of us and is danced by boys and girls, men and women, old and young; as a single performance, in pairs in a fun play or as a group. There is one basic essential - the 7/16.

This measure has three beats, the first two being equal at 2/16 time, and the third being extended at 3/16 time. “Love and Happiness” Ruchenitsa is fervor, ardor, increasing the happiness hormones, the feeling of genuine love, trembling, rhythm, victory, drive, flight…

Researchers believe that each “horo” dance itself is mostly a cult of the Sun and the Milky Way Galaxy. The star in our system was the main deity of most ancient religions, including the proto-Bulgarians. Every single detail of the “horo” is thought out very carefully to create a powerful vibration for all the people to connect with the Cosmos…

The beautiful images you see are not mandalas from exotic, faraway lands. Nor are they drawings by some famous artist. These are the steps that every choro "writes".

Bulgarian dance is a folk dance in which the participants form a circle or a straight line while holding hands. Dancers perform special steps - jumping, leaping, crossing legs, stepping forward, stepping back - which are repeated to the musical accompaniment.

And we dance it as grateful heirs of our ancestors and their wisdom celebrating Life.

Enjoy the variety of sounds and rhythms.

Here you can see Rachenitsa dance from different regions of the country:

West Bulgaria /Kyustendil region:

Central Bulgaria:

A glimpse of each region music and dance at the 2023 World Culture Festival:

A medley of Bulgarian folk dances:

Shared with joy

A.A

Stob, Bulgaria