Founded in November 1944 by local folklorist and composer Hryhoriy Shevchuk, with Kyiv-trained choreographer Hryhoriy Dykhta as its first artistic lead, this ensemble grew out of the distinctive folklore of the Bukovynian region itself. In 1949 it merged with a second local company based at the Chernivtsi Philharmonic, led by choreographer Hannah Asen’kova, forming what became known simply as the Bukovynian Song and Dance Ensemble.
From 1962, choreographer Andriy Kushnirenko led the company through decades of growth, preserving its ethnographic roots while raising its technical polish and broadening its repertoire — work continued by Honored Artist of Ukraine Darius Lastiwka. Today the ensemble numbers around 80 performers under director Yaroslav Soltys, with Leonid Sydorchuk as principal choreographer, staging a repertoire spanning vocal and choreographic suites, folk scenes and full-length productions.
Ukrainian Dance World has partnered with the ensemble directly through its annual Workshop Tour, giving participants the chance to train with Sydorchuk and the company’s dancers and learn the specifics of Bukovynian folk style firsthand — a living connection to a company that’s spent 80 years representing the region on stage.
