They say you’re not a real Bulgarian if you don’t dance with a Danube choir for health and prosperity on New Year’s Eve. Every time the clock strikes twelve, the national anthem and Many Summers are played, thousands of Bulgarians congratulate each other with a toast and hurry to join the Danube Dance to fill the coming days with fun, good energy and, last but not least, to show unity , holding hands, captivated by the common rhythm. And this rhythm can be achieved with the infamous Danube Choir.
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Maestro Diko Iliev (1898–1984) is to Bulgarian music what Ivan Vazov is to Bulgarian literature – a patriarch, a guiding star. His Danube Chorus has long been OUR Danube Chorus. It has a unique energy.
The favorite dance of generations of Bulgarians is the Danube Dance. Traditionally, it sounds in every Bulgarian home already in the first minutes of the New Year.
The chorus acts as an inspiration – it expresses the new beginning in nature, creates the incredible feeling of lightness and strength that delights everyone who plays it.
The “Danube Choir” acts as a spiritual thread and connects millions of Bulgarians, regardless of where they are in the world. It strengthens their sense of community and family belonging.
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Everyone dances to it – both young and old, even those who are still unsure of its steps, because it captures the spirit and is irresistible.
The energy that builds in the performance of the choir penetrates deep into the body of the dancers, and embodies the living human spirit.
It is also a kind of way to preserve the steps that are in danger of disappearing, people who are little known and not played massively.
The happy thing is that more and more young people are turning to folk dances to connect with their Bulgarian roots.
Typically, hand movements are quite fast. The time signature is 2/4. The steps themselves – five forward and three back – show how important it is to walk, always two steps forward more!
Happy New Year!
