The Belarusian Armed Forces Academic Song and Dance Ensemble () is a musical unit of the Belarusian Armed Forces that is stationed in

Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...

History

The group first formed as a freelance unit on 17 February 1938 at a sanatorium for

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army ( Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, afte ...

officers in the village of

Gnyozdovo Gnyozdovo (russian: Гнёздово) is a village in Smolensky District, Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Dnieper River twelve kilometers downstream from Smolensk, in the proximity of Katyn. The village is noted for its e ...

(near

Smolensk Smolensk ( rus, Смоленск, p=smɐˈlʲensk, a=smolensk_ru.ogg) is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest ...

). By order of

Marshal of the Soviet Union Marshal of the Soviet Union (russian: Маршал Советского Союза, Marshal sovetskogo soyuza, ) was the highest military rank of the Soviet Union. The rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was created in 1935 and abolished in 19 ...

Klement Voroshilov Kliment Yefremovich Voroshilov (, uk, Климент Охрімович Ворошилов, ''Klyment Okhrimovyč Vorošylov''), popularly known as Klim Voroshilov (russian: link=no, Клим Вороши́лов, ''Klim Vorošilov''; 4 Februa ...

on 9 January 1939, the group was formally introduced as the Red Army Song and Dance Ensemble of the Belarusian Special Military District. In

1940 A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * Januar ...

, the ensemble followed the example of the military district headquarters, and was transferred to

from

. During the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

(known as the

Great Patriotic War The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of conflict between the European Axis powers against the Soviet Union (USSR), Poland and other Allies, which encompassed Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Northeast Europe (Baltics), and Sou ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

and

Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...

), the ensemble served on the frontlines to regularly perform 4-5 performances a day for frontline troops, which resulted in over 40 artists being awarded with honorary medals such as the

Order of Glory Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood * Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of d ...

. On the 1945

Victory Day (9 May) etc. , nickname = , observedby = Russia and some former states of Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact; Serbia, Israel , duration = 1 day , frequency = Annual , date = 9 May , scheduling = same day each year , celebrations ...

, the team performed in the liberated Soviet city of

Königsberg Königsberg (, ) was the historic Prussian city that is now Kaliningrad, Russia. Königsberg was founded in 1255 on the site of the ancient Old Prussian settlement ''Twangste'' by the Teutonic Knights during the Northern Crusades, and was name ...

(now

Kaliningrad Kaliningrad ( ; rus, Калининград, p=kəlʲɪnʲɪnˈɡrat, links=y), until 1946 known as Königsberg (; rus, Кёнигсберг, Kyonigsberg, ˈkʲɵnʲɪɡzbɛrk; rus, Короле́вец, Korolevets), is the largest city and ...

). In 1949, it became known as the Red Army Song and Dance Ensemble of the

Belarusian Military District , image = Soviet Union Belorussian Military District.svg , image_size = 300px , caption = The territory of the Byelorussian Military District in 1991. , dates = 28 November 1918 – 6 May 1992 , country = (1918–1920) (1920–1991) (1922� ...

, which served

Soviet Army uk, Радянська армія , image = File:Communist star with golden border and red rims.svg , alt = , caption = Emblem of the Soviet Army , start_date ...

troops in the Belarusian SSR. In the postwar period, the team grew and progressed in various ways, performing for soldiers in the garrisons on Belarusian territory, as well as performing abroad which included a 1982 trip to the

Polish People's Republic The Polish People's Republic ( pl, Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1947 to 1989 as the predecessor of the modern Republic of Poland. With a population of approximately 37.9 million ne ...

and a 1986 trip to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. In 1990, the ensemble conducted a

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

an tour which included

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

and other countries in a sign of a thaw in

East-West relations East West (or East and West) may refer to: *East–West dichotomy, the contrast between Eastern and Western society or culture Arts and entertainment Books, journals and magazines *''East, West'', an anthology of short stories written by Salma ...

. In March 1992, the Red Army Song and Dance Ensemble was renamed to its current name. In 1998, on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the ensemble, the ensemble was given the honorary title of being an "Academic Ensemble", and on 1 September 2009, the ensemble became an official state institution.

Notable members

Victor Vuyachich Viktar Lukyanovich Vuyachich ( be, Віктар Лук'янавіч Вуячыч, russian: Виктор Лукьянович Вуячич; July 11, 1934 in Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR, USSR – September 17, 1999 in Minsk, Belarus Belarus,, , ; ...

— a Belarusian Soviet crooner *Valery Pryshchaponak *George Svetashav

References

{{authority control Military units and formations of Belarus 1938 establishments in Belarus Military units and formations established in 1938 Musical groups established in 1938 Military choirs