Balgarianovinite.com On International Dance Day, April 29, honorary citizen of Taraclia Ivan Borimechkov spoke in an interview with BTA about the memory of the traditional horo dance of the past – not a stage performance, but a natural part of life and traditions of Bulgarians in Moldova. He is also one of the founders of the Bessarabian Bulgarian theatre Smeshen Petak in Taraclia.
In Borimechkov’s memories, the horo in Taraclia was not just a dance. It was place and time, gathering, youth and custom, and a whole world in which the village comes together, observes, becomes acquainted with one another, and lives together. There were evening and grand horo dances, he recounted.
The evening horo took place on the streets and in the neighbourhoods, where the young women would gather, sing songs, and dance. There was not always music, as the songs themselves led the dance. The adults stood on the sidelines, watching, smiling, and quietly discussing who would ask whom to dance, and who would suit whom, while the young people went out to meet and show themselves off.
The grand horo dance was something else entirely. It was performed only on major holidays. It was not frequent, but that is why it was remembered. It was at just such a grand horo dance, Borimechkov’s mother would tell him, that she met his future father. For him, this is not just a family story but proof that the horo was also a place where destinies were forged.
War and famine during the Soviet era, however, changed many things. People stopped gathering as they had before. “War stops everything,” Borimechkov said. Then came the famine – a time when no one was in the mood for dancing. But sometime in the 1950s, people began gathering again, reminiscing, and seeking out music and celebration. Gradually, the horo moved to clubs and cultural venues, he added.
Later, when the theatre in Taraclia was established, the idea to bring back the spirit of the old horo dance took shape. They began collecting short stories, scenes, and memories. Street concerts, theatrical skits, and humorous vignettes were held, and after them, the horo would begin. It was not a complete revival of the old custom, but it was an attempt to relive the memory of it.
Borimechkov also recalled how they announced on the local radio that there would be a grand dance gathering, how they looked for musicians, and how sometimes guests from Bulgaria would stumble upon these people and join in the dance.
The folk dance gave rise to other celebrations as well – St. George’s Day, Slavic Literacy Day, etc. Everything was done with limited resources but with great enthusiasm. The focus was not on ostentation, but on community – the desire for the village to be seen, to be heard, and to come together. Honorary Citizen of Taraclia Recalls Role of Traditional Bulgarian Dance on International Dance Day 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-04-29 16:34:01 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law