As it was informed earlier, in November the casting was announced for those who desired to take part in the III ethno festival “Bessarabia-Folk 2020”. The winners of this event will be delegated to Bulgaria to represent Ukraine at the international competition. The applications are to be submitted for one of four categories: dance group, vocal group, and solo and theatre production. Please, use this link to fill and submit the Application Form: https://forms.gle/ZwGdav25fPDfF2yL9.

Here is the Regulation on III International Folklore Festival of Folk Creativity “Bessarabia-Folk 2020” represented by the Deputy Head of the Bessarabia Development Center on cultural projects, Mrs.Tatiana Stanieva.

The festival is an essential form of ethnic socialization, important means of formation of ethnic tolerance and an available way of transmitting popular culture, contributing not only to the revival and preservation of the culture of the ethnic group, but also to the consolidation of society and the strengthening of friendship and understanding between different peoples.

Festival aims and objectives are as follows:

  • Finding the best Bessarabian collectives specializing in folklore: folk dance, folk music, vocal, theatrical art, forms of traditions and customs.
  • Preservation of the cultural diversity of Bessarabia, revival of national customs, traditions and crafts.
  • Popularization and revival of interest in folk art in Bessarabia.
  • Activation of creative activity of talented youth.
  • Exchange of creative achievements and the possibility of establishing close contacts between creative groups from different localities.
  • Professional development of artistic leaders of creative groups.
  • Development of green and folklore tourism in the region.

Conditions of participation in the festival:

The festival is to be attended by the creative groups and individual performers from the age of 12 with a folklore repertoire.

Date and place:

2 – 3 May 2020, Ogorodnee village (Gorodne, Chyishyi) – is one of the oldest Bulgarian villages in the south of Ukraine, cradle of souls interested in folk art and a source of folk art!

Rules of the festival.

  • Nominations:
  • Folk vocals, soloists;
  • folk vocals, collectives;
  • choreography – folk dance;
  • orchestras of folk instruments;
  • theatre arts (folk traditions and customs).

On-stage performance time: up to 15 minutes.

Awards and prizes: Grand Prix – a visit to the folk festival in Bulgaria). The awards and prizes are represented by the organizers of the festival.

The results and declaration of the winners will be done on the second day as soon as the festival is over.

Technical requirements:

Phonogram carriers – USB drive. Each record must be provided on a separate USB drive indicating the name and duration of the composition, and the name of the performer (please, submit your records in advance by e-mail: gorodness@ukr.net). The vocalists are not allowed to perform under a phonogram!

The exhibition and the sale of works of artists of decorative and applied art will be provided separately.

Festival programme:

Day 1 (2 May 2020)

10:00 AM – Traditional Ukrainian welcoming of the collectives and the festival guests near the administrative building.

12:00 AM – Opening of the festival. “Na prit” ceremony.

12:30AM – Visit of the activities areas: Saint-Petropavlovsky Temple; Ogorodnee Rural Historical and Local History Museum; Traid Fair of Folk Art from Masters; Master classes on Bulgarian National Cuisine; Master classes on Arts and Crafts, photo show of ethnophotographers and areas for making photoes.

4:00 PM – The beginning of the competition program.

7:00 PM – Festival Day 1 Headliners concert program.

8:00PM – folk dance master class.

9:00PM – Festive folk khoro around the fire.

Day 2 (3 May 2020)

8:30 – 11:00 AM – Visit of the festive service in the Saint-Petropavlovsky Temple, Cross Procession.

12:00 AM – Opening of the Festival Day 2.

12:30 AM –  Visit of the activities areas: Saint-Petropavlovsky Temple; Ogorodnee Rural Historical and Local History Museum; Traid Fair of Folk Art from Masters; Master classes on Bulgarian National Cuisine; Master classes on Arts and Crafts, photo show of ethnophotographers and areas for making photoes. Riding horses and donkeys
4:00 PM – – The beginning of the competition program.

7:00 PM- Festival Day 2 headliners concert program.

8:00 PM- Summarization of results, announcement of the winners in every nomination.

8:30 PM – “Nestinar” show (ceremonial dances on coals).

9:00 PM – Festive khoro around the fire.

Panel of judges:

Mrs. Tatiana Stanieva, a folklorist, a director of cultural projects from the PO “Bessarabia Development Centre”, a director of “Place of Power” documentary film (Ukraine);

Mr. Dimitar Litkov Stoev, a teacher of the Bulgarian folk instruments and vocals at the Bolgrad Gymnasium named after Georgia Rakovsky (Ukraine);

Mr. Atanas Petrov Shevkenov, a professional dancer, an experienced soloist of “Pirin” folklore ensemble (Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria);

Mrs. Nadezhda Nedelcheva, a soloist of the Sofia State Ensemble named after Philipp Kutev (Bulgaria);

Mrs. Raina Manzhukova, a journalist, a link lady of the “Oblache le byalo” (Eng.: “White cloud”) programme of “Skat” Bulgarian TV (Sofia), the Head of the PO “Center of Bessarabian Bulgarians in Bulgaria” (Bulgaria);

Mrs. Sonia Iordanova Bekyrska, a Bulgarian folk dancing teacher at the Theoretical lyceum of Mr. Nikolay Tretyakov in the Gagauz Autonomous Republic (Komrat, Gagauzia).