P. Virsky Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble
Encyclopedia
Ukrainian dance
Ukrainian dance refers to the traditional folk dances of the peoples of Ukraine.Today, Ukrainian dance is primarily represented by what ethnographers, folklorists and dance historians refer to as "Ukrainian Folk-Stage Dances" , which are stylized representations of traditional dances and their...
company based out of Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, well known for its innovative approach to the art form. The ensemble was created in 1937 by Pavlo Virsky
Pavlo Virsky
Pavlo Pavlovych Virsky was an innovative dancer, balletmaster, choreographer, and founder of the P. Virsky Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble, whose work in Ukrainian dance was groundbreaking and influenced generations of dancers....
and Mykola Bolotov, and guided by Pavlo Virsky
Pavlo Virsky
Pavlo Pavlovych Virsky was an innovative dancer, balletmaster, choreographer, and founder of the P. Virsky Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble, whose work in Ukrainian dance was groundbreaking and influenced generations of dancers....
until his death in 1975. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Virsky performed for the soldiers at the front. In 1980, the company's artistic direction was overtaken by Myroslav Vantukh, who had been a disciple of Pavlo Virsky
Pavlo Virsky
Pavlo Pavlovych Virsky was an innovative dancer, balletmaster, choreographer, and founder of the P. Virsky Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble, whose work in Ukrainian dance was groundbreaking and influenced generations of dancers....
.http://www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/presents/season/2004/program_notes/pdf_files/pn_virsky.pdf Virsky's aim is to create dances that embrace historical Ukrainian dance
Ukrainian dance
Ukrainian dance refers to the traditional folk dances of the peoples of Ukraine.Today, Ukrainian dance is primarily represented by what ethnographers, folklorists and dance historians refer to as "Ukrainian Folk-Stage Dances" , which are stylized representations of traditional dances and their...
traditions as well as dances that are innovative and forward-moving.
Choreography by Pavlo Virsky
- Povzunets (Crawler), a CossackCossackCossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
comedy dance - Oi, Pid Vishneiu (Oh, Under a Cherry Tree)
- Zaporozchi, National Ukrainian danceUkrainian danceUkrainian dance refers to the traditional folk dances of the peoples of Ukraine.Today, Ukrainian dance is primarily represented by what ethnographers, folklorists and dance historians refer to as "Ukrainian Folk-Stage Dances" , which are stylized representations of traditional dances and their...
of Cossacks - Vyshyvalnytsi
- Moriaky (Sailors)
- Hopak
- Vyshyvalnytsi (Embroideresses)
Choreography by Myroslav Vantukh
- Carpathians
- Tambourine Dance
- The Years of Youth
- In Peace and Harmony
- Russian Suite
- Ukraino, My Ukraino (Ukraine, My Ukraine)
- Tsygansky, a Gypsy dance
- The Volynsk Patterns
- Kozachok