Poltava Ensemble
The Poltava Ensemble of Song Music and Dance is a 50 member Ukrainian ensemble which includes dancers, musicians and singers. The Ensemble’s roots in the Saskatchewan cultural scene began in 1922 with the formation of a children’s string orchestra and has since grown to include dancers, singers as well as musicians. Based in Regina, Saskatchewan, the Poltava Ensemble performs nationally and internationally and has performed at such events such as Drummondville World Festival, Walt Disney World Florida, as well as three international performing trips to Ukraine, including the highly acclaimed Folklore Festival in Yalta on the Black Sea. The Ensemble has appeared on CBC and CTV national television networks, and has appeared internationally on Poltava State Television network and the National State Television Network of Ukraine.
The Poltava Ensemble Dancers is a male and female adult ensemble who have a high level of technical training in Ukrainian dance as well as other dance genres such as classical and folk. The Poltava Ensemble Orchestra brings to life the rich heritage of Ukrainian folk music, whether it accompanies the dancers or is featured as a performing entity unto itself. The orchestra is comprised of strings, winds, brass, keyboard and percussion. The Ensemble also includes male and female vocal soloists whose presentation of traditional folk songs enhance and enrich each of the Ensemble’s performances. The uniqueness of the Poltava Ensemble as a whole is that it encompasses ‘live music’ for all of its performances.
The repertoire of the Poltava Ensemble is unique in that it displays not only the very best of the Ukrainian culture, but also the culture of those who populate in and border with Ukraine. The result is a multicultural extravaganza that celebrates the beauty of the human spirit.
