The only Indonesian dance group in Bulgaria – PMN, was established in 2004 by the daughter of the Ambassador of Indonesia at the time, H.E. Mr. Broto Utomo – Angela Sri Utami. She attracted the first dancers who wanted to learn some of the extraordinary and colorful dances of the largest archipelago on Earth – Indonesia. Together with a dance teacher, Sri Wardoyo, they set the foundations of the first Indonesian dance group in Bulgaria, alongside the “Bidadari” group in Belgrade, Serbia, with whom they collaborate and share the beauty of Indonesian art in the Balkans.

Four years later, during the celebration of the 63rd anniversary of Indonesian Independence at the Embassy on August 17th, 2008, Mrs. Feli Rose Inkiriwang, the wife of the Ambassador Immanuel Robert Inkiriwang, gave the name of the dance group: “Pesona Mawar Nusantara” or abbreviated “PMN” (translated “The Enchanting Roses of the Archipelago”). The dancers are symbolic captivating roses, while the “Archipelago” is Indonesia, so the name symbolizes the friendship between Indonesia and Bulgaria.

The blooming years of the group were when it went under the guidance of the Indonesian dancer and teacher, Puty Ramala, who taught for two years, leaving the group with the strongest imprint and influence until today. The dance group, composed mainly of Bulgarian students in Sofia, has participated and won awards in various cultural events and international folklore festivals all over Bulgaria and many events organized by the Embassy.

The main goal of the group is to popularize Indonesian arts through demonstrations of traditional dances and authentic costumes, thus encouraging tourism and curiosity about the wealth of Indonesian culture. So far, the repertoire of the dance group has succeeded in 35 dances and together with “Bidadari” are the only dance schools to represent traditional art in the Balkan peninsula and are among the few Indonesian dance groups in Europe in general – Bulgaria, Serbia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Great Britain.

This year, the dance group is celebrating 20 years since its establishment.