Palitra Folk Dance Ensemble · Bulgaria
Nanying International Folklore Festival
2026.10.21 — 10.25
TAINAN, TAIWAN
PHOTOGRAPHED BY GAVIN WENG
Every performer deserves to be remembered.
At the 2026 Nanying International Folklore Festival, I followed Palitra Folk Dance Ensemble through my lens as they performed in Tainan — from the steps, costumes and expressions on stage to the smiles we shared off it. This is Palitra as I saw it.
Photographs and films of Palitra Folk Dance Ensemble in Tainan, captured by Gavin Weng. Explore each day, revisit the performances, and find your favourite moments.
01 · THE ENSEMBLE · SOFIA, SINCE 1984
Founded in 1984 in Sofia, Bulgaria's capital, at the Dimitar Dinev community cultural centre, Folk Palitra has spent four decades bringing dances from every region of Bulgaria to the stage.
They have performed at international folklore festivals in Greece, Italy, Turkey, Serbia, India and beyond, and in 2025 placed third in Bulgaria's national TOP 10 folk dance competition. In autumn 2026, they came to Tainan.
02 · THE DANCE · HORO
The festival host said Bulgarians are said to dance without feeling the pull of gravity. Bulgaria's traditional dance is the horo: dancers join hands in a circle or a line, and every region has its own version, with its own rhythm, steps and costumes.
What makes it special is the rhythm. Instead of the even beats most of us know, the music often moves in 7, 9 or 11 beats, mixing quick and slow. The steps are small, light and sharp, as if each one barely touches the ground, so the dancers seem to float on the beat.
Choose a session to browse, and tap a photo to enlarge it. Sessions follow the original albums.
Performance films and moments from the day · Tap to play, with live sound.
GAVIN & FAMILY · A WARM WELCOME FROM TAINAN
PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM BY GAVIN WENG · 2026 TAINAN
Back to portfolio ↗
