Prof. Petar Angelov – head and artistic director of the Academic Dance Theatre of VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" will celebrate his 70^th anniversary and 50^th anniversary of creative work with mega concert on the stage of the Open Air Theatre in Varna at 20:30, 14 July.

    Prof. Petar Angelov was born on 12 July, 1945 in the village of Gubislav, Sofia. He graduated from the State Choreographic School in Sofia in 1965 and later from the Academy of Music and Dance in Plovdiv with the professional qualification of director-choreographer. In 1976 he created the professional Varna ensemble of folk songs and dances, which in 1992 was re-registered as a nonprofit association. He had been its chief artistic director since its creation. In 1995 he created the specialty "Choreography" at Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar". Since 2007 he has been a head of the artistic activities of VFU and a year later became head and artistic director of the Academic Dance Theatre " Chernorizets Hrabar".

    With mega folk concert he will celebrate his 70^thanniversary and 50^thanniversary of artistic career at 20.30,14 July, on the stage of the Open Air Theatre in Varna with free entrance. A book dedicated to him will come out soon. It is entitled "Living with the Soul of Dance", which is the motto also of the celebration itself. Compiler of the book published by the University Press of VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" is Maria Kardzhieva, PhD.

Interview of Violeta Gurnakova published in issue 126 of Varnensko Delo newspaper of 7 July, 2015 Optimism I believe that Bulgaria will regain its national cultural image to the world. Forecast If there is care of folklore, there will be Bulgarian people.

    Prof. Angelov, at the age of 70 and after 50 years on stage, what is your assessment? – I am glad that I am still working and that I am still on the labour front. Initially, I started with amateur art, then with the professional Varna ensemble which was abolished, later with the naval professional ensemble and at the university over the past 20 years. For me, creative work is the most important thing in life, and when I met with young people and the scientific intelligentsia, I saw that life is much broader, more significant. The large amount of creative work is also an assessment. That is over 70 productions - professional ensembles in the country and abroad. Lately, I have taken up a lot with directing of performances.I have worked in theatre, opera productions that involve dancing, plastic movements, etc. We have given thousands of concerts at home and abroad for 50 years. When I was doing my military service, I was head of the army ensemble. I remember the concerts in squares, streets, around the world. There are two landmarks in my life - Varna ensemble and the university work. For that reason I divide my life into two parts. These are the good things in life, but life is versatile – there are also some bad aspects. Varna ensemble is your greatest joy, but also your greatest pain. Why? - The abolishment of Varna ensemble is still an open wound and so it will be. Its abolishment was a very ugly act. It happened in the first years of the political reversal. There was jealousy, hatred and the issue was politicized. It was true that the ensemble flew on the government plane. It had reached a very high level. But art has no political affiliation. But it came out that it had. The collapse was enormous. I overcame it with my work with the students afterwards. Much has changed since 1991, mainly in culture, in all directions, genres, in amateur art - mainly because of funding. The state withdrew, a lot of institutes were closed,amateur art activitiesas a whole collapsed. Today there is a new fashion - dance clubs, where people go to have fun. And because these clubs are paid, many choreographers went to work there because there is money in it. However, there is an interest in dance at universities. Regardless of the outflow in arts, low salaries and the lack of young professionals, people gradually return in the concert halls. I think Bulgaria will get back its international prestige and name as a country rich in art and culture. Has the crisis affecting Bulgarian folklore been overcome? Over the last years it has reached the most destructive pop folk manifestations? - Changes occurred, first, regarding the way of processing. Stylization of folklore entered strongly in the work of specialists. There are a lot of distortions in Bulgarian folklore. Even the costumes look foreign in a way; they have nothing in common even with civil clothing. The euphoria caused by chalga decreased a little. The ugly lyrics and rhythms of oriental low quality and belly dance have disappeared. However, we are far from the pure genre that the Serbs have. Surely there will be pop folk, there are good songs also and we should not deny everything. Bulgaria has a long tradition in pop and folk music. We are a phenomenon in world culture. Young people are influenced by Western culture, but when they grow older they also begin dancing Bulgarian chain dances. In Greece and Turkey they have compulsory classes in native folklore. It should be the same with us. What secrets does folklore hide regarding the folk beliefs of the Bulgarians? - Bulgarian folklore is associated with Christian religion, with people's beliefs. But many of the ritual dances are already only for fun, only the artistic function in folklore has remained. Somewhere they still believe in rituals and customs. Usually this happens in the smaller villages where other culture lacks. In the big city there are no longer rituals and traditions. Preservation of folk wisdom now is work of researchers. Is "The Soul of Dance" your soul? - Dance is an experience. If there is no experience there is no longer dance, just a mechanical movement. Therefore we say that dance has a soul. All arts cause experience. We, the artists also have our experience. Three things impress in folk dance. Rhythm and the two human aspirations - to the ground and to the sky. Which of the three has the highest priority for the dance to exist? There is an aspiration of the Bulgarians to the ground, but it is not the same everywhere. The most pronounced are these movements in Dobrudzha dancing. Bulgaria has long been an agricultural country and folklore is heavily influenced by rural life. There is rhythm in life everywhere. If there is no rhythm, everything perishes. There is rhythm in breathing, in nature, in the change of day and night, but it is especially pronounced in the human body - heart, walking, dance. It was the rhythm first and then the melody. Proportionally, humans have always aspired upwards. This is the direction of human aspiration. Let us see architecture, humans have risen from the dug-out to the skyscrapers, in sport we also aspire upwards; the Lord is above. This is the aspiration of humans. The appeal for help, for better life, etc. - What part of the Bulgarian folklore is fire-dancing? - Fire dancing occurs in Strandzha. Its roots are still in paganism. In Christian times, it is connected with the feast of Constantine and Helena. Todayitisusedasatouristattraction.What would you wish those who now have a fascination with the magic of folklore and want to dedicate their lives to it? - There are documents of UNESCO, which say that each country should keep their own culture and should enter into the community of nations with it. Traditional culture and dance are at the heart of the contemporary music culture. It is important to teach children since an early age. There is now a nihilistic attitude towards folklore. Funds should be allocated. The professional ensembles in Bulgaria currently exist thanks to the care of the municipalities. My appeal is to have care of folklore, in order to have Bulgarian people. There is no nation without traditions and culture.