Tavria Folk Ensemble Ukrainian folk dance and music in Derbyshire.

Tavria and solo artists Yuri Bogatikov and Nadejda Petrenko were invited from Crimea to Derbyshire in 1989 as part of the County Council's centenary celebrations. Tavria were a folk ensemble which combined music, dance and song celebrating Ukrainian folk culture. Their performances were classically influences, as during the twentieth century it was common for dancers to train as ballet dancers first, adding a formal style of folk dance to their studies.

This was part of a cultural movement which began in the late nineteenth century to elevate folk dance and music on a part with other performing arts. During the Glasnost and Perestroika era of the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Ukrainian diaspora in the UK took advantage of a slightly more relaxed approach to international travel and invited cultural groups from Ukraine to visit the UK to perform.

These visits sometimes corresponded with larger cultural festivals, such as in this instance, as there was this was helpful in terms of arranging travel and permission to leave the Soviet Union. Prior to this, other diaspora arts groups had toured in Europe, North America and Canada, but it was very rare for groups from Ukraine to do the same. This period was a time of cultural revival and a hope that Ukrainian culture could be opened up for the world to share and enjoy.

Tavria Folk Ensemble performed two dates in Derbyshire in 1989, including this one at the Winding Wheel in Chesterfield, following an invitation from Derbyshire County Council. Tavria's blend of folk dance, music and song was typical of the formal, ballet-influenced style which was popularised in the late 19th and early 20th century.

This clip includes an elegantly choreographed dance by men and women and is demonstrative of the beauty of dance. The dancers are followed by a group of female vocalists, who sing 'Chom ty ne priyshov?' ('Why Didn't You Meet Me?'). Again, the singing style is classically-influenced rather than a natural or open throat style. Both the dancers and the singers wear Ukrainian national costume of the Central and Southern region of Ukraine, which differs slightly to traditional Crimean costume.