THE ACADEMIC DANCE THEATRE OF VFU "CHERNORIZETS HRABAR" PERFORMED EXCELLENTLY AT THE EUROPEAN RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIP IN VARNA
29 may 2026
Students from the Academic Dance Theatre at Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" became special participants in the official opening ceremony of the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship, which is taking place in Varna. The event brought together a record number of participants - 43 countries, 106 individual gymnasts and 26 ensembles, turning Varna into a true European capital of rhythmic gymnastics.
The special programme of the ceremony was prepared by Zdravena Nakeva - an alumna of our university, and united children from all rhythmic gymnastics clubs in the city with the dance mastery of the students of the Academic Dance Theatre. Under the guidance of Assoc. Prof. Ivaylo Ivanov, PhD and with choreography by Senior Asst. Prof. Dilyan Galev, PhD the students of Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" turned the ceremony into a real artistic spectacle in front of the audience.
The European Championship was officially opened by the President of European Gymnastics Farid Gaibov, who welcomed the guests in Bulgarian. The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Youth and Sports Encho Keryazov, the President of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee Vesela Lecheva, the President of the Bulgarian Rhythmic Gymnastics Federation Iliana Raeva, as well as a number of officials from European and world Gymnastics.
The participation of the Academic Dance Theatre in an event of an European scale is yet another proof of the active role of Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" as a cultural and academic partner of Varna. The university not only prepares highly qualified specialists, but also sends its students to the most prestigious stages - as ambassadors of the Varna’s identity to the entire Old Continent.
The ceremony was held to the sounds of the representative brass band of the Naval Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria with conductor Captain Third Rank Georgi Zairanov, and the hall welcomed the flags of all participating countries with a full stand of ardent supporters of rhythmic gymnastics.
