Neshka Robeva

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Neshka Robeva
Personal information
Born (1946-05-26) 26 May 1946 (age 79)
Rousse, Bulgaria
Gymnastics career
SportRhythmic gymnastics
Country
represented		 Bulgaria
Medal record
Representing  Bulgaria
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1969 Varna All-around
Silver medal – second place 1969 Varna Free-hand
Silver medal – second place 1969 Varna Hoop
Bronze medal – third place 1967 Copenhagen Free-hand
Bronze medal – third place 1969 Varna Rope
Bronze medal – third place 1973 Rotterdam Hoop
Bronze medal – third place 1973 Rotterdam Ball

Neshka Stefanova Robeva (Bulgarian: Нешка Стефанова Робева; born 26 May 1946) is a Bulgarian former rhythmic gymnast and coach.

Early life

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Born in Rousse, Robeva moved to Sofia at 14 to study at the Bulgarian State Choreography School.[1] She graduated from the School five years later, and while studying, she developed an interest in traditional Bulgarian dances.[2]

Career

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Robeva began gymnastics at the relatively late age of 20 in 1966 and won her first national championship four months later.[2] She was a member of the Bulgarian national rhythmic gymnastics team until 1973. She took part in four World Championships (1967, 1969, 1971, 1973) and won silver in the all-around in 1969.[2][3]

After her competitive career, Robeva started work as a coach at the "Levski" club. In 1978, she was appointed head coach of the Bulgarian National Team.[3] Robeva briefly resigned in late 1989 due to political disagreements with the Bulgarian government and left to coach in Japan for two months, only to return after the fall of the Berlin Wall.[2] She remained in head coach until 1999.[4]

Her tenure was a very successful period for Bulgarian rhythmic gymnastics.[2] She was noted both for success as a coach and for encouraging each gymnast to develop a sense of musical sensitivity and artistry. She would allow her gymnasts to go to discos and see how they danced to inspire the choreography for their routines.[1] Gymnasts were allowed to contribute ideas to their routines and training, rather than having to fit to an entirely standardized system. She was initially criticized for this approach, but it resulted in routines that were praised for their originality and suited for each individual gymnast.[3]

However, Robeva has also been criticized for imposing harsh discipline on her trainees.[4] Former gymnasts recounted physical and psychological abuse, including extreme control over their weight and being beaten.[1][5][6] Her neighbor recalled her forcing gymnasts who stayed at her house to vomit after meals.[2] Robeva admitted to practices such as beating her gymnasts and continuing trainings past midnight.[1][6]

The 25 years under Robeva's leadership are remembered as the "Golden Girls" period of the Bulgarian school in rhythmic gymnastics and her European and World champions as the "Golden Girls of Bulgaria". The successes of several generations of Bulgarian gymnasts are closely related with her name. Her gymnasts won 294 World, European and Olympic medals.[1]

In 1988, Robeva was the choreographer and dance producer for the dance in the film Acatamus from the director Georgi Djulgerov.[7] From 1993 until 1997, she was a member of the European Gymnastics Committee. She is currently the honorary president of the "Levski" rhythmic gymnastics club.[8]

Robeva has also lead and choreographed for a dance troupe, Neshanal Art, whose performances blended traditional Bulgarian dances with other dance styles such as jazz and tango. Her shows Twin Kingdoms, which premiered in 2000, and Orisia toured for more than 250 international performances.[2]

Personal life

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Robeva married a fencer and had a daughter with him,[3] though she and her husband later divorced. She was a close friend of the mystic Baba Vanga before the latter's death.[2]

In 2016, she was awarded the Order of the Balkan Mountains, First Class, although she refused to accept it. She cited a controversy around whether she should be granted the award and said that she did not wish to cause issues for then-president Boyko Borisov, whom she had frequently spoken against in public but who had decided the dispute around the award in favor of granting it to Robeva.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Angelova, Ralitsa (1 July 2021). Sport and nationalism: A case study of the Bulgarian Golden Girls (MA thesis). Universiteit van Amsterdam. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Alexandrova, Polia; Feng, Violet (2004). "Bulgaria: Mistress of the Dance". Transitions Online (08/03). ISSN 1214-1615.
  3. ^ a b c d Langsley, Eileen (August 1984). "Rhythmic Royalty". International Gymnast. Vol. 26, no. 8. pp. 26–29.
  4. ^ a b "Bulgaria Top Rhythmic Gymnastics Coach Suffers Car Accident". www.novinite.com. 2009-10-21. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  5. ^ Petcova, Rossitsa (22 January 2013). "Bulgaria's rhythmic gymnastics champion Bianka Panova releases autobiographical book". Radio Bulgaria. Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  6. ^ a b Capital.bg (8 September 2000). "Робева призна за побои на гимнастички" [Robeva admits to beating gymnasts]. www.capital.bg (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2025-04-04.
  7. ^ Karakostova, Rumyana (2015). "Мюзикълната фикция във филма „АкаТаМуС" (1988)" [Musical fiction in the movie AcaDaMuL (1988)]. Българско музикознание (in Bulgarian) (2): 49–64. ISSN 0204-823X.
  8. ^ "Ръководство" [Guide]. Levski Club (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  9. ^ Garkova, Vanya (2016-05-18). "Робева: Отказвам ордена - Любопитно — Новини Стандарт" [Robeva: I refuse the order]. Standart (in Bulgarian). Retrieved 2025-08-31.
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