Comparison of Steps in Bulgarian Folk Dances and Chinese Martial Arts
* By Stanislav Petrov Bagalev, N Dimitrov, Nikola Pirovski, June 2025 Etnografia 2(28):208-221 *
Abstract
Chinese martial arts (Wushu) enjoy great international popularity. An important stylistic aspect are the steps used. Bulgarian folk dances are gaining more popularity as a mass activity of a sport and folkloric nature, or a stage art. Their steps are a main element of the choreography. The biomechanics of the human body allow it to perform only certain types of movements. Purpose: Comparison of steps in Bulgarian folk dances and Chinese martial arts. The comparative analysis is carried out on visual material from official sources, such as the public records of leading martial arts masters, and on material from public performances with Bulgarian folk dances choreography. The results show similarities in the steps of choreographies with Bulgarian folk dances and the steps in Wushu (Wing Chun, Chinese: 詠春 and Tai Chi Chuan, Chinese: 太极拳). The steps in Bulgarian folk and Chinese martial arts have common characteristics. Drawings of the sequence of the steps, photos and videos of the movement should be used simultaneously as a tool for better understanding of the biomechanics. Bulgarian folk dances have movements in them that can be used for self-defense. Self-defense application coded in the dances are symbolic but can be developed for real situation.
KEYWORDS: Wushu, Wing Chun, Horo, martial art, Bulgarian dance, Spiral theory of the human body F O R C I TAT I O N: Bagalev S., Dimitrov N., Pirovski N. Comparison of Steps in Bulgarian Folk Dances and Chinese Martial Arts. Etnografia. 2025. 2 (28): 208–221. (In English). DOI: 10.31250/2618-8600-2025-2(28)-208-221 Scientific project, Medical Faculty, Trakia University 16/2022
About the author(s)
Stanislav Petrov Bagalev – Head Coach, EWTO Academy, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
“Seeking challenges and developing myself, discovering new paths and sharing them with others – these have always been guiding themes and actions in my life. Back in 1991 as a student and teacher at Plovdiv University of Martial Arts, giving lectures and practical classes to the students in the specialization Wushu, gave me a chance to develop my skills in teamwork, scientific approach in searching and sharing with others, constant learning and self-study. It also led to my contact in 1996 with EWTO, the largest WingTsun and Self Defense organization in the world, and the chance to be Grandmaster Kernspecht’s personal student. Over the years, I have established schools in over 15 cities across the country and my students have taught successfully in America, Germany, Austria and China. I am currently a 6th degree Master and a Sifu in WingTsun. My interest in Chinese martial arts and Tai Chi gave me a unique chance in 2004 to become part of the Yang family that created Tai Chi and popularized it throughout the world, as well as to be a personal student of the successor, Grandmaster Yang Jun. This also led to my success – becoming a bronze medalist at the 2018 World Tai Chi Championships.” (read more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanislav-bagalev/)
N Dimitrov – Head of the Anatomy Department, Medical Faculty, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
Nikola Pirovski – PhD, Chief Assistant, Medical Faculty,Trakia UniversityStara Zagora, Bulgaria. Nikola Pirovski currently works at the Anthropolgy laboratory, Medical Faculty, Trakia University. Nikola does research in Anatomy, Medical Anthropology, Psychiatry and Physiotherapy. He has compleated phd thesis on the ‘Morphology of tongue’. His current project is dedicated to describiing the spiral structure of the human body. From 2025 he is collaborating with the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at BAS (IPS-BAS) on the topic of the Personalized medicine.
