|
Konstantine Marinov
|
|
Konstantin "Kotse" Marinov is from Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. From the age of five he performed with Ensemble Zagorche.
Kotse was born into a dancing family; he and his father, mother, and sister all have dancing in their blood! His father is a choreographer, and is a long-time soloist of the Military Ensemble in Sofia. His mother dances with the Ensemble Zagore.
In 1987, Kotse entered the State Choreographic School (now the National School of Dance Arts) in Sofia, graduating with a diploma as artist/ballet dancer and teacher of dance arts. After he graduated and completed his military service, he danced as a soloist with Ensemble Zagore and the Ensemble Slănčev Brjag, was assistant choreographer with the Ensemble Zornitsa, and he toured with both Slănčev Brjag and Zagore in Europe, Canada, and the United States.
In 2000 Kotse emigrated to the United States and settled in the Chicago area, where he established several Bulgarian folklore clubs in the spirit of Bulgarian čitališta (reading rooms), local culture centers that have the aim to preserve and nurture Bulgarian folk dance and folklore in a dynamic way.
Kotxe organizes annual festivals in Chicago that feature multiple Bulgarian folk ensembles and cultural groups under the umbrella and name of his Vereya dance ensemble. Kotse has produced other concerts and festivals in North America and Europe.