ZORNITSA - Student's Folk Dance Ensemble
Sofia, Bulgaria

Dance ensemble “Zornitsa” was founded in 1981 by Emil Genov - choreographer and leader of the group. In 1983 the ensemble takes its name - “Zornitsa”.

All ethnographic regions from Bulgaria are presented in the dances and songs of the ensemble. The richness of the folklore combined with the dynamic rhythms, the unforgettable music and colorful costumes grab the hearts of the audience.

“Zornitsa” with its history of more than 20 years has participated in many festivals, folklore competitions and concerts.

Since its foundation, until 1989, the group participated in every annual republican student festivals of the amateur arts. “Zornitsa” won the 6th and 7th Republican Festivals of the Amateur Art Activities and in 1992 received golden medal in the Republican Competition of the Dance Arts.

The ensemble took part in many national concerts from the program of the Bulgarian National Television, and also in folklore programs under the patronage of the president of Bulgaria (in the visit of His Highness Prince Charles; the visit of the president of the Republic Turkey – Suleiman Demirel; the visit of the princess of Thailand, etc).

In 2000 “Zornitsa” together with the French group for folklore dances “Gaida”, Dijon, France broke the hall of the military club in Sofia with applauses. The event was reflected by the National Television.

In 2002 and 2003 the group took part in the International Student Folklore Festival in Stara Zagora, organized from the Bulgarian representatives of UNESKO.

The first international appearance of the ensemble was in 1984 in Berlin on the International Student Folklore Festival and it brought the first golden medal to the group. After that “Zornitsa” gave concerts in Poland at invitation of the Polish dance group “Kos”, Lublin. In 1989 “Zornitsa” participated in the Italian festival “People for People” and received the special award of the public. In the next 1990 the ensemble was invited by the Sicily-Bulgarian organization to participate in the “Days of Bulgaria” in Katania, Sicily, Italy.

In 1993 “Zornitsa” participated in the International Student Folklore Festival in Skopje, Macedonia at invitation of the Culture Organization of the Skopje University. The group also took part in the Days of the Balkan Culture – “Ohrdiski denovi”.

At the invitation of the Bulgarian embassy in Slovakia in 1994, “Zornitsa” participated in the celebrations of the Bulgarian National Holiday - March 3 - in Bratislava and Nitra. The same year “Zornitsa” also took part in the International Folklore Festival in Karmiel, Israel. The group was also invited by the Organization of the Bulgarian Jews to give a few concerts in Tel Aviv and Haifa.

At the end of the summer of 1994 “Zornitsa” participated for the first time in “The Celebrations of the Wine” in Dijon, France and won the Silver Necklace of the festival and the applauses of the audience.

The successful results of the ensemble did not cease in the next few years – in 1995 participated in the First International Folklore festival of the Pease, Beograd and won the special award of the festival; in 1996 gave concerts in the International Festival “Kastelfesten”, Belgium and “Sivo”, Holland.

It was in 1997 when the ensemble received the highest prize of the festival “The Celebrations of the Wine” in Dijon, France – the Golden Necklace, and very positive comments of the French channel TF1 and the local press.

Contact Information:

Contact person: Mr. Emil Genov
Zornitsa Ensemble
74, Opalchenska Str.
Sofia 1303
Bulgaria

Phone: + 359 888 728 776
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  
web: www.zornitsa.org