They still resemble delicate fairies when they dance. Watching these ballet dancers, one cannot help but remember the days of Communism when Bulgaria's female track and field athletes swept the board in international competitions. The only difference is that today the girls in Sofia's dance school smile more often as they whirl through the air. Even the dancers' trainer is the same person as in the old days -- Neschka Robeva. "No one knows if the state will be willing to pay for this institution much longer," she says. Robeva believes that anyone making long-term plans in Bulgaria today is either stupid or a hopeless optimist. She dislikes the general mentality that has descended on the population following the political upheaval: "The nation has not understood that self-discipline is still the most important thing, even in the new system." Teachers like Robeva used to enjoy high social standing in Bulgaria. But today this only applies to people who make a lot of money.

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