ILIANA BOZHANOVA

Bulgarian Folk Dances & Choreography

Iliana Hristova Bozhanova was born in 1961 in Galabovo, in the Stara Zagora region of Bulgaria. She grew up in a family of musicians and singers in South Thrace. In 1981, she graduated from the National School for Art Instructors in Plovdiv. She completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in “Bulgarian Folk Dances and Choreography” at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Artsin Plovdiv, the oldest folk arts academy in the Balkans and the most acclaimed in Bulgaria.

At the age of fifteen, Iliana became a member of the folk dance Ensemble Rachenitsa in Plovdiv.Her experiences with the Ensemble, under Artistic Director Dimitar Doichinov, inspired Iliana to devote the major part of her life to Bulgarian folklore. Through the ensemble she had the opportunity to perform Bulgarian folk dances in other parts of Bulgaria, as well as in Greece, Serbia, Poland, Belgium, Portugal, France, Italy, Holland, and Russia. She met many wonderful people through this group, and it was here that she took her first steps as a dance teacher.

In 1981, Iliana became choreographer and artistic director of two children’s folk dance ensembles – Ensemble Radost in the village of Yoakim Gruevo, and the Children’s Ensemble of the Roza Dimitrova Orphanage in Plovdiv. She created her first dance choreographies for these children and also introduced both groups at the Festival for Amateur Folk Art in Plovdiv.

Since October of 2004, Iliana has been the director and choreographer of Ensemble Voivodintsi which is comprised of 7 dance groups, 4 of children and teenagers, 3 of adults and a female singing group. The members of the Ensemble are 150 people.

In 2005, Iliana has been invited to serve as Dance Coordinator for the Folk Seminar Plovdiv-at the Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts in Plovdiv.

The other very important part of her life is organizing tours in Bulgaria for many of her dance students and friends from all over the World.

Besides her work as a dance teacher and choreographer, Iliana has worked as a technician of architecture and civil engineering. She is married and has two sons.

 

Iliana’s Work as a Choreographer

 

Since 1995, Iliana has worked with the Bosilek  Bulgarian Folk Dance Ensemble. At the invitation of Cathie Springer, the group’s artistic director, Iliana has created 18 choreographies for Bosilek, using folk dance and ritual elements from regions all over Bulgaria. The choreographies are: Enyovden, Pirinska miluvka, Babini unuki, Haide bulki na pazar, Shopski tantsi, Varnenski tants, Maimari, Byalo, zeleno, cherveno, Peperuda v Dobrudzha, Na firuglitsa, Trakiiki, Kokonitsi, Gabrovski ritmi, Oro se vie. Fire and Magic, Sedi Donka, Kopanitsa, Na megdana.

Iliana is appreciative of the opportunity Bosilek has given her to create these choreographies and share the wonderful richness of Bulgarian folklore, and for “opening the door to the world,” as she began her international teaching career.

Iliana has also worked as a choreographer for the Ensembles Zarove and Mladost in  Holland, since 1995. The artistic director of this wonderful children’s and youth groups is Esther Willems. Iliana has created several suites for them – Trakiiski ritmi, Detsata na Pirin, Dobrudzhancheta,  Krivo horo and Trakiiska pletenitsa.

In June 2004, Iliana was invited to create a Bulgarian dance choreography for Het Internationaal Danstheater in Amsterdam, with artistic director Maurits van Geel. Her choreography, S pozdrav ot Bulgaria, was part of their big dance performance, “Finale 10,000 Volt.” This is the only professional international folk dance theater in Holland, and Iliana was honored to have been chosen to work with their dancers, musicians and faculty.

Choreographies for other folk dance ensembles include:

  • Planina Ensemble for International Folk Dances – Los Alamos, New Mexico (1997) – Bulgarska suita
  • Da igramo Ensemble for Balkan Folk Dances – Rochester, New York (1997, 1998) – Nastroenie
  • Kitka Ensemble for International Folk Dances – Oslo, Norway (1999) – Severni ritmi
  • Pojas Folk Dance Ensemble – Taipei, Taiwan (2004, 2007) – Shopski tants, Severniysshki ritmi
  • Legacy European Folk Dance Troupe – Hong Kong (2004) -Severnyashki tants, Trakiiski tants
  • Po Leung Kuk Lee Shing Pik College Alumni Association – Hong Kong – Iz Shopluka, Trakiiska pletenitsa
  • Radost Folk Ensemble– Seattle, WA, USA (2009) – Oro se vie, Krivo horo, Sedi Donka, Yuta, Na pazara.
  • Balkanika – Denver, CO (2019, 2023) – Miziiski ritmi, Shopski motivi

Dance Teaching & Lectures

United States of America:

Iliana is well known as a Bulgarian folk dance teacher by dozens of folk dance groups in many areas of the U.S., including New York, Washington DC, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Colorado, Virginia, Ohio, California, Oregon, Utah, Washington, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Arizona, Louisiana. She has also taught at folk dance camps ranging from weekend to 2-week-long events. These include:

Iliana has presented lecture-demonstrations on Bulgarian folk art and dances at these universities:

  • UCLA– Los Angeles, CA (1997)
  • UCSD– San Diego, CA (1997)
  • UCSB– Santa Barbara, CA (2001)
  • Brigham Young University – Provo, UT (2000)
  • University of the Pacific– Stockton, CA (2001, 2002)
  • California University of Art– South California  (2000)
  • Eastman University– Rochester, NY (1998, 2000)
  • Taiwan International Folkdance Association – Yilan (2017)

Iliana has also given presentations at high schools in New York, Vermont,Washington and Pennsylvania States, USA. In Switzerland as well.

In Elementary schools in Hertford, UK, Taiwan, Canada and USA.

Work in other countries includes:

  • USA– 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2023 – all over the States
  • Canada– 2007, 2010, 2013 – Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton, Salt Spring Island Folk Dance Festival in British Columbia.
  • Japan– 2002, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2017 – Tokyo, Kioto, Kobe, Fujisava, Ibaraki, Okinawa and other surrounding areas
  • Taiwan– 2002, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2017 – Taipei, Yilan, Taichung.
  • Hong Kong– 2004, 2007, 2017
  • Indonesia– 2004 – Bali Folk Dance Camp
  • Switzerland– 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 –Zurich, Bern, Basel, Lugano, Kiental, Trullikon, Winterthur, Binn, Vattiz, Baden, Hasliberg, Kiental
  • Germany –2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024, 2025 – Munich, Darmstadt, Oldenburg, Rosenheim, Proitze Muhle, Reimlingen Silvestaer Camp, Freiburg Silvester Camp, Sinsheim, Wies, Ulm
  • United Kingdom –2009, 2012, 2015, 2017 – London, Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester, Edinburgh, Southampton, Norwich, Liverpool.
  • Holland– 1995, 2002, 2004, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2022 –Teaching tour to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Edde, Kullemburg, Zaits, Dordrecht, Eindhoven, Apeldorn, Veenendaal, Haarlem.
  • Norway-1999 – Teaching tour to Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Harstad, Sandefjord, Tonsberg
  • Israel– 2006 – Jerusalem,Haifa
  • Italy – 2009 – Reggio Emilia
  • Belgium– 2013 – Leuven

 

The latest dance collections, Iliana has produced and presented with her colleague Todor Yankov. These are:

– IHB   # 12 – FIRE ( 2008 )

– IBTY # 13 – MAGIC ( 2010 )

– IBTY # 14 – DESTINY ( 2013 )

– IBTY # 15 – SHARENIA ( 2014 )

– IBTY # 16 – CHEERS ! ( 2016 )

– IBTY # 17 – HARMONY IN RHYTHM ( 2018 )

– IBTY # 18 – HOPE ( 2023 )

 

Iliana’s repertoire of dances that she has taught to folk dancers in the USA, Europe, and Asia includes:

Abdai (1997), Alunelu, Altun cheshma, Arnaut, Abdai (2008), Adzhibelik, Angelina,

Batuta and Kalush, Belyanskata, Birindzhika, Buchimish (2004), Bistrishka kopanitsa, Banutsa, Birindzhika, Buchimish (2013), Babechko horo,

Cheleuna, Chereshko, Cherkezkata (1997), Chetvorno (1995), Chokarlana, Chukni tropni, Chichovoto from Gamzovo, Chetvorno (2006), Cherkezkata, Choban Georgi, Chichovoto (2016), Chetvorno (2016),

Danke, Daylyan Vangel, Denyovata, Dobrudzhanska rachenitsa, Drama, Dunavsko horo, Dvoino horo, Dzhanguritsa (1995), Draga Draganchitse, Dzhanguritsa (2008), Daichovo horo, Daimyano, Dafino vino, Dona, Dosmanovata, Devoiko mari hubava, Dimitro sino, Duini mi duini, Dzhanguritsa (2016), Devoiko balno li ti e, Dragana,

Elbasan, Eski, Elerinka, Enitsa, Filek

Glavinishka kopanitsa, Grancharsko horo (1997), Grancharsko ot Sumer, Gumzovska rachenitsa, Gergyovsko pravo horo, Galyam galyam, Grancharsko (2013), Gamzovski hora, Graovsko horo, Gankino horo,

Hairedinski abdai, Horo “Na plet”, Hora ot Draginovo, Hora ot Gela, Hora ot Sofronievo, Horo from Opan, Iglika, Izhvarli condak, Izruchana, Irimenche pozlatenche, Ivan na Ganka dumashe, Ispaiche,

Kaimya, Kalcho Ivanovata, Kalmankinata, Kamen Yano, Katarinkina, Kate Katerino, Kitchitse buina loboda, Kokoneshta (1998), Kokorevsko horo, Kopachka, Kasumskata, Kune, Kalesh Kate, Kalina, Karakachansko horo, Kopanitsa, Kokoneshta (2014), Kasapsko horo, Lamba, Lazaritsa, Lekom igra, Lipensko paidushko, Lomska rachenitsa, Lyasa, Lyavo horo, Lyasa,

Malishevsko, Mari Kalino, Marinkinata, Miziisko horo, More moma bega, Mari mome, Maleshevsko Dobrilashko, Megdansko pravo horo,

Ne predi Rade, Naiden, Nagizdila sa,

Oi Mario, Oine Doine, Opas,

Paidushko from Smyadovo, Paidushko ot Hairedin, Pal Andreevata (2002), Petrunino, Prala Nachka, Pravo trakiisko horo, Prela baba, Provikna se Yana, Piyan ot merak, Prez krak, Perina, Pandelash, Povlekana, Pleteno horo, Pal Andreevata (2023),

Radi le, Raka, Rhodopski motivi, Ruka, Rusa, Ruchenitsa, Rano rani, Rhodopsko horo,

Sachovata, Sedi Donka (1998), Sedi moma, Selsko shopsko (2004) , Sevdino oro, Shareno horo (2002), Shirah, Shopska rachenitsa (2004), Shopsko na poyas, Shto me dade male, Shumadia (1997), Signa, Sin i byal zyumbyul, Sitna stareshka, Sitnata, Slivovanska balavanka, Spanato horo, Sreshtnatata, Stapil Dobri, Sumerska rachenitsa, Svornato horo (2001) , Sakarsko horo, Shkyopa, Sevde le, Snoshti minah Kate, Sborenka, Sluntse zaide, Shumadiya (2008), Sedi Donka, Shirokolashko horo, Shareno horo, Svornato horo (2014), Shopska rachenitsa (2014), Selenik and Aidar, Sobrali mi se nabrali, Selsko shopsko (2023), Sino Yovane,

Tarambeevata, Tornala mi e Enitsa, Trakiiska rachenitsa (1998), Trei pazashte, Trite pati from Branitsa, Tropanka, Tsonino, Turlashko horo, Tushkano horo, Trite pati ot Seliminovo, Tsone, Trite pati (2008), Turlashkata, Temna magla, Trakiiska rachenitsa (2013), Tornal e Todyu, Tsarenyaska,

Varnensko horo (1997), Velikdensko horo, Vetrensko horo, Voivodinsko horo, Vlashko horo, Varnensko horo (2008), Vetrove veyat, Vasilevo horo, Vangelia,

Ya barzai gemiiko, Yanche belo Yanche, Yove (2002), Yovino horo (2008), Yana, Yovino (2016), Ya doidi libe,

Zaeshkata, Zhuvyatele, Zamfirovska signa, Zheni me mamo, Zavartyano horo,

 

From 1995 to 2023 – 214 dance melodies