(30 Jan 2016) Thousands of dancers in traditional costumes took part in a winter festival in the western Bulgarian city of Bernik on Saturday.
A record number of 6,400 participants from across the Balkan country gathered to perform at the Surva folk festival, joined by dancers from as far as Mali.
The festival is the biggest of its type in Bulgaria and marks the culmination of traditional winter festivities that are believed to date back to pagan times.
Men, women and children dress up in ritual masks and costumes and dance in hope of driving out evil spirits.
Bells hanging from their costumes are said to protect the dancers from impure powers.
Last December, the United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO recognised the festival as part of the "intangible cultural heritage of humanity".
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