Balgari-Home of Fire Dancing!
Celebrity Come (Fire) Dancing?
In the mountains to the south of Sunny Beach is the village of Balgari renowned for the still practised custom of nestinarstvo, or fire dancing. Traditionally associated with the feast day of Konstantin and Elena (which is celebrated here on June 4th, or the nearest weekend), the ritual involves initiates falling into a trance and dancing on hot embers, to furious bag pipe and drum accompaniment.
The secret lies in the low thermal conductivity of the embers, whose heat is transmitted slowly enough for the walkers to avoid injury by moving at a fast pace. Preparations for the fire dancing last all day, with icons of the saints paraded round the village.
Something definitely not to be tried at home but nevertheless not to be missed!!
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