Barefoot Fire Dance (Nestinarstvo) in Velingrad, Bulgaria

The fire dance (nestinarstvo) is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Read more at https://ntripping.com/velingrad/ The footage was shot during the cultural festival in Velingrad, Bulgaria, at the beginning of July 2017. The fire dancer (nestinar) prepares for the dance the whole day. He concentrates and prays for hours. The fire is started in the morning. By the evening, the wood is turned into glooming embers. As soon as it gets dark, the fire dancer spreads the embers. He takes the icon of St. Constantine and Helen and sets his bare feet into the burning ashes. The nestinarstvo fire dance is accompanied by a Bulgarian bagpipe and a big drum called "tupan". At the end of the ritual, the fire dancer holds children from the audience over the embers for good health. ******************************************************************** Read more about Velingrad, the Spa Capital of the Balkans: https://ntripping.com/velingrad/ ********************************************************************