DOVBUSH
“The Dovbush Dancers are holding true to the roots of Ukrainian dance while keeping it vital and current.”
Throughout the year, the Dovbush Dancers perform at a wide variety of events, from private weddings to national concerts. The dancers also volunteer time to support their community by holding fundraisers, pinching perogies, and hosting dance workshops. Browse our assortment of upcoming events here!
The Dovbush Dancers stand with the people of Ukraine and unequivocally condemn Russian aggression and military invasion. Many of us claim Ukrainian heritage, have friends and family in Ukraine, and share cultural roots with the people of Ukraine. We encourage all Canadians to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
Learn how you can help here.
So many of our dancers trained under the Dovbush School of Dance, and have gone on to teach the next generation. Kids dance classes are offered Saturday morning, in addition to choir practice, and Ukrainian language classes. Check it all out here!
OUR STORY
The Dovbush Dancers are a vibrant Ukrainian Folk Dance Ensemble. Since 1962 they have built up an exquisite repertoire of dances, including the light and playful Pleskatch, the moving Hutsulsky Polonyni, and the extravagant Hopak. The ensemble takes its name from Oleksa Dovbush, the folk hero born in 1700 in the Carpathian Mountains. Known as Ukraine’s Robin Hood, Dovbush left a lasting mark on Ukrainian folklore.
As members of the Vancouver branch of the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians the Dovbush Dancers share a love of Ukrainian dance and culture, and strive for excellence and authenticity in their performances. A repertoire of dances from many regions of Ukraine offer audiences a window into the rich traditions of Ukrainian culture.
"We’ve had the pleasure to partner with Dovbush on two professionally produced productions: Bread & Salt and The Big House. We’ve been impressed by their artistry and team work, their dedicated striving for personal and collective best, their enthusiasm to explore innovative staging of choreography and their high energy performances."
- Savannah Walling, Artistic Director, Vancouver Moving Theatre
Under Artistic Director Debbie Karras, Dovbush has evolved into the dynamic group it is today. Workshops with distinguished Ukrainian instructors and choreographers, as well as high profile performances continue to improve the dancers’ technique and performance skills. A trip to Kyiv to study with esteemed instructors at the Virsky studio as part of the International Summer School of Ukrainian Dance as well as ongoing opportunities to work with the group’s mentor, Serguei Makarov, have continued to develop the dancers’ knowledge and provide inspiration.
To raise funds for trips to study dance across Canada and in Ukraine, Dovbush performs at weddings, cultural festivals, and other events. Highlight performances for the ensemble include their own sold-out show Mosaic, a performance in Scotiabank Dance Centre's Discover Dance series, and Bread & Salt, a live theatrical production interwoven with oral history, music, choral singing and dance
Ukraine Trip Postponed
Photos by Jesse Daniel Smith and Matt Lo
Contact Us
If you would like to book Dovbush for your next event or have any general questions, please contact us by filling out the form below, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We are also reachable by phone or Facebook.