Nestinarstvo (Bulgarian: нестинарство) is a fire ritual originally performed in several Bulgarian- and Greek-speaking villages in the Strandzha Mountains close to the Black Sea coast in the very southeast of Bulgaria. It involves a barefoot dance on smoldering embers (жарава, zharava) performed by nestinari (нестинари).
“Angelina loosened her hair, took off her sandals, and, with her eyes closed and her arms stretched out to the sky, stepped onto the living coals. She began to dance slowly to the rhythm of the music, her long white dress flowing gracefully around her. There’s something unearthly about this scene, Stefan thought. Nestinarstvo was dancing on live coals with bare feet.” Mystical Emona, Chapter” Fire Dance”