Participants

The Arbana Folklore Ensemble was founded in 1978 in the Albanian capital Tirana. It performs dances, songs and melodies with folk musical instruments from different ethnographic regions of its homeland. In addition to original folklore, the ensemble also performs complex original compositions while preserving authentic elements as much as possible. The folk dance arrangements are made by the most famous masters of Albanian ethnochoreography. An important value of the ensemble is the large number of folk costumes from several regions of the country. The Arbana Folklore Ensemble has successfully represented Albania in international folklore festivals and concert tours in Greece, France, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Egypt, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Croatia, Turkey, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Spain, etc.

The Flying Georgians ensemble from Tbilisi was founded by David Kikvadze and Jemal Natenadze in 1996. The troupe reveals the beauty and fiery passion of Georgian folklore in an inimitable way. The dancers perform solo dances, couple dances and group compositions, each of them demonstrating strength, agility, bounce and bold movements. These are the only folkloric dances in the world in which men dance on their toes, without the aid of "thumbs" typical of classical ballet. The Flying Georgians ensemble has participated in dozens of festivals in different countries: from Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and the USA, through 11 European countries to China.

The dance group of the Youth Centre of Halastra was founded in 1978. It is the largest formation in the institution, which is the centre of all cultural activities in the town. Around 250 adults, youth and children participate in this club. They not only dance but also explore local music, dances and customs. The recordings they make of source folklore are the basis of their compositions. In this way, they bring back to life traditions that were disappearing. Some of the annual customs that become a reality are the 'Rogatia' at the beginning of the year, the 'Lazarki', which takes place at Easter, and the 'Feast of the Ivy' (a fire festival), which takes place in June. The Traditional Dance Club participates remarkably in festivals in Greece. It has toured the countries of Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey, Romania, the Czech Republic, Poland and Italy. The dances performed by the Club at the Youth Centre - Halastra are mainly dances from Macedonia, Thrace and the Aegean Islands.

Folk Dance Group "Sporid" is from Borgarfjörður, Iceland. The group is popular with the classic performance of Icelandic folk dances from the 13th - 20th centuries. The dancers are wearing traditional Icelandic costumes. Some of the dances are accompanying of singing, which is typical for the Icelandic folklore. Each dance is presented with a short introduction so that the audience can understand the meaning and context, not just enjoy the steps and movements.

Academic Songs and Dances Ensemble "Sonechko" was founded at the Art Department of the Pioneers' Palace in Zhytomyr in 1973 by Mykhailo and Tetyana Guzun. Its main goal is to educate aesthetic taste and culture, to introduce children to the art of choreography and to develop their creative abilities. The ensemble's compositions are based on Ukrainian folk dances and the folklore of their Polesie region. They aim to reveal the beauty of folk art, preserve national culture and present it to other nations. The creative activity of "Sonechko" contributes to the creation of new dance forms and the development of choreography in Ukraine. The ensemble maintains a multinational repertoire, in the preparation of which great attention is paid to musical accompaniment and costumes. They are created specifically for each dance. The Sonechko Ensemble's concert programme contains suites, compositions, miniatures and dances of the world's nations. In its rich repertoire, the ensemble has over 50 choreographies based on the study of the folklore richness of different regions of Ukraine. It is a true model for the study of the country's choreographic culture.

Folk Dance Group "Sporid" is from Borgarfjörður, Iceland. The group is popular with the classic performance of Icelandic folk dances from the 13th - 20th centuries. The dancers are wearing traditional Icelandic costumes. Some of the dances are accompanying of singing, which is typical for the Icelandic folklore. Each dance is presented with a short introduction so that the audience can understand the meaning and context, not just enjoy the steps and movements.

Folk Dance and Music Group "Onor-Kenchi", "Agama", "Aim-Ene" is from the city of Bishkek - Kyrgyzstan. It had participated in international festivals in Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. The musicians perform traditional music, and the singers - Turkish, Kazakh, Uzbek, Russian, Kyrgyz songs, during which the dancers perform. Particularly attractive are those of the compositions that are stylized folklore.

Ensemble for Folk Songs and Dances from the Taše Miloševski Cultural and Artistic Society is from Resen, Republic of North Macedonia. The group participated for the sixth time in the International Folk Festival in Montana. The ensemble preserves the old Macedonian song and authentic folk art. The dancers perform the compositions wearing rich and original folk costumes. The costumes abound with hand-made embroidery and other ornaments, which enriches the overall impression of the ensemble presentation.

Folk Dance Group "Club of Optimistic Folklorists" is from Ljubljana, Slovenia. The group from the Slovenian capital city performs accompanied by an orchestra of musicians playing the accordion, harmonica, violin, bass and clarinet. The group presents in its repertoire 13 choreographies from all seven Slovenian regions. An important feature is that each region has its own characteristic clothing, therefore each choreography is presented in its typical folk costumes.