BTA: Honorary Citizen of Taraclia Recalls Role of Traditional Bulgarian Dance on International Dance Day

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.