|
Stoyan Getsov
|
|
Stoyan Ivanov Getsov, born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, was so captivated by learning Bulgarian folk dances and music in elementary school that, in third grade, when he had to choose between gymnastics and dancing, he didn’t hesitate for a moment. After Stoyan and his family moved to Sofia at the start of his high school years, he specifically sought a for a high school that offered folk dance classes. During that time, with the ensemble "Medena Pitka," he took part in festivals in many different countries, including Austria, Hungary, Moldova, and Turkey. After high school he was accepted in the "Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts" in Plovdiv. At that time he joined the "Academic Folklore Ensemble," and was also a member of the "Plovdiv" dance ensemble.
Stoyan emigrated to Denver, Colorado, in 2012, whereupon he began to miss dancing very much. Many Bulgarian emigres also kept asking him to start a folklore dance group so they could learn and help preserve their traditional dances. So, in the spring of 2015, he and two friends founded the dance group "Gaitani." Together with his assistant Maria Mincheva, they continue to spread the love of Bulgarian folklore throughout the United States.