Zornica: the morning star
Bulgarian folk dance and song in Budapest since 2000
We are Bulgarian women who married and settled in Hungary. We perform dances, songs and customs from across Bulgaria at festivals, community celebrations and family occasions.
Or call: +36 1 325 9567
It started in spring 2000
The Zornica (Evening Star) Bulgarian Heritage Preservation Ensemble was formed in the spring of 2000 by a group of Bulgarian women who have made their homes in Hungary. Originally, the intent was simply to keep their Bulgarian heritage alive and to pass on traditional Bulgarian folk dances, songs and customs to other Bulgarians living in Hungary. Before they knew it, however, the ensemble had gained both a strong reputation and an enviable following, not only among the Bulgarian and other minority communities, but also among those of the general public who love and appreciate folk customs and traditions.

Much of the group’s success can be attributed to the efforts of its art director, Liliana Zafirova Bűdy, a choreographer educated in Sofia whose work is well known in Hungary.
The group has appeared in programmes dedicated to minority nationalities on Hungarian and Bulgarian national television. In 2011 it performed at the László Nagy memorial concert at the Palace of Arts, as the guest of Ferenc Sebő, together with Márta Sebestyén.
The enthusiasm the members of Zornica have shown for preserving and popularising their folk traditions in Hungary stems from both a deep regard for their Bulgarian roots and a sincere desire to pass them on to future generations.
Dances, customs, songs
Our programme draws on dances, songs and customs from different Bulgarian regions. We fit it to the occasion, from a short set to a full evening.

Nestinari, the fire dancers
The fire-walking dance of the Strandzha mountains. On stage we perform it over symbolic embers: a red cloth in the middle of the circle.

Seeing off the bride
A wedding custom in which the bride says goodbye to her parents’ home. We also perform it at weddings; once the real bride and her mother danced it with us.
Harvest dance, Enyovden (Midsummer), Babinden (Midwives’ Day), koleduvane (Christmas carolling).
Dances
- Rachenitsa
- Raka
- Daychovo
- Macedonian suite
- Radomirska lesa
- Varnenski dance
- Grozdober
- Todoro, Todorke
Songs
Nearly thirty songs, among them:
- Ceko le Цеко ле
- Ergen djado Ерген дядо
- Kacnal brymbar na trynka Кацнал бръмбар на трънка
- Dona na porti sideshi Дона на порти сидеши
- Cyfnalo cveke shareno Цъфнало й цвеке шарено
- More problejalo Море проблеяло
- Dilmano Dilbero Дилмано Дилберо
- Voda teche Вода тече
- More svake Море сваке
- Sevdalino mome Севдалино моме
- Crno mi oko ergenche Църно ми око ергенче
- Pusto mu ludo i mlado Пусто му лудо и младо
- Petruno pile shareno Петруно пиле шарено
- Otdolu ide sharena kolca Отдолу иде шарена колца
- Tudoro Tudorke Тудоро Тудорке
- Kato sedish Nedo Nedke Като седиш Недо Недке
- Prela baba Прела баба
- Ljulka se ljulja Люлка се люля
- Chubrichanche le Чубричанче ле
- Liljano mome Лиляно моме
- Ludo mlado syn zasynilo Лудо младо сън засънило
- Kalino Rado Калино Радо
- Ljube, ljube, prvo ljube Любе, любе, първо любе
- Shareno konche imam Шарено конче имам
- Stanala rano Bosilka Станала рано Босилка
Invite Zornica
Tell us when and where your event is. We will reply to say whether we are free and what programme we suggest.
- Community celebrations
- Babinden, the Day of Slavonic Script (24 May), Minorities Day
- Festivals
- Szőreg Rose Festival, Ajak wedding festival, Boldog Paprika Festival
- Cultural evenings
- Palace of Arts, Museum of Ethnography, exhibition openings
- Weddings and family occasions
- seeing off the bride, for example at Sziráki Castle
Our road since 2000
Every year we take part in an international folk festival in Bulgaria and come home with diplomas and awards.

2001
Sedyanka evening
Budapest

2004
International folk festival
Dorkovo, Bulgaria

2005
Folk festival
Koprivshtitsa, Bulgaria

2005
Guest performance
Brno, Czech Republic

2006
Summer festival
Primorsko, Bulgaria

2008
Nestinari on stage
Budapest

2009
By the sea
Nesebar and Ravda, Bulgaria
2010
Certified as an ensemble
Pécsvárad, Hungary

2011
László Nagy memorial evening
Palace of Arts, Budapest
2013
International folk festival
Ohrid, North Macedonia

2015
15th anniversary
Bulgarian Cultural House, Budapest

2016
Rose Festival
Szeged-Szőreg, 2016 and 2017
Photos
Moments from the ensemble’s archive.
Videos
Recordings of our performances. Videos load from YouTube only when you press play.
Seeing off the bride at a real wedding, Szirák, 2013
15th anniversary concert, 2015
Rose Festival, Szőreg, 2017
Women’s Day programme, Budapest District XVIII, 2017
Raka and Varnenski dance, Beloiannisz, 2012
Day of Slavonic Script and Bulgarian Culture, 2017
Our reports, invitations and videos from 2012 to 2017All our videos on YouTube
Would you like to dance with us?
With Bulgarian roots or without: if you love folk dance and singing together, come to a rehearsal. Leave a way to reach you and we will tell you when the next one is.
Support us with 1% of your tax
Hungarian taxpayers can give 1% of their personal income tax to us. It pays for costumes, festival travel and rehearsals.
Tax number18113619-1-41
Contact
- Phone
- +36 1 325 9567
- info@zornica.hu
- Address
- 1025 Budapest, Zöldkő utca 58.
Tax number: 18113619-1-41