Culture

The Shevchenko cultural center of Motor Sich JSC, the cultural heart of the factory, is supported financially and morally by the administration, trade union and youth committees and is loved by the whole team of company's employees.

The center was founded in 1949.

The center is furnished with two auditoria with total seating capacity of 620 seats and three rehearsal halls featuring total area of 50 m².

The basic directions of activity are:
    - development of artistic amateur creativity;
    - sponsoring purposeful leisure of factory employees and their families.

At present it houses 21 group of amateur art activities with total number of 955 participants. Among them are the following:
    - Honoured Ukrainian dance ensemble 'Zaporozhets'
    - Classic dance ensemble 'Kazachata' (Young Cossacks)
    - Folk brass band
    - Cossack folk vocal ensemble 'Kozaky-zaporozhtsy' (Cossacks of Zaporozhye)
    - Folk choir of labour and war veterans
    - Ballet dance ensemble 'Yunye gratsyi' (Young graces)
    - Vocal studio
    - Children's vocal ensemble 'Veselka' (Rainbow)
    - Youth vocal ensemble 'Romashka' (Camomile)
    - Children's brass band.

The repertoire of the groups includes the finest specimens of national and international choreographic, song and music art.

The creative development of Honoured amateur's Ukrainian dance ensemble 'Zaporozhets' began in 1949 under the guidance of Yu.Bolshakov, an honoured man of Ukrainian culture, who was the organizer and leader of this ensemble.

The dance ensemble 'Zaporozhets', inspired by the folk traditions and widely using folklore and the achievements of leading Ukrainian dance groups in its activity, has repeatedly become the winner of the regional and republican events, has taken part in the international youth and TV festivals, dance feasts, decades of the Ukrainian literature and art taking place in different countries and republics. And everywhere immutable success with the public and experts accompanied them.

In 1960 the ensemble was granted an honourable title of the People's ensemble and in 1967 it was given the title of the Honoured ensemble and the Golden medal that are highest awards for the amateur's group.

Numerous choreographic scenes created at those times became the most valuable possession of the group.

The ensemble was repeatedly laureated at the Republican and All-union festivals, it was awarded with the first-grade diplomas, Golden medal and grand Golden medal. Over the years of its creative activity the ensemble performed in many foreign European countries. The group was applauded in Poland, Germany, Holland, Austria, Yugoslavia, Portugal, Estonia and Bulgaria.

In 1985 the ensemble was headed by the Honoured man of Ukrainian culture A.A.Koshel, who began his artistic way in ensemble when young. A classic children's dance ensemble 'Kazachata' has been organized under the auspices of ensemble with talented teachers from ensemble 'Zaporozhets' I. Pozdniakova, I. Petrenko, E. Usatenko, O. Britvin.

The Cossack folk vocal ensemble 'Kozaky-zaporozhtsy' (grouped in 1993) is a young collective that succeeded to become famous outside Ukraine. It is headed by its founder, Honoured man of Ukrainian art P.N.Protsko, who deeply feels the soul of Cossack song and is able to successfully restore the lyrics of Cossacks singing.

The true popular recognition of the ensemble has been acquired owing to the artistic excellence of every singer. All participants of the ensemble are employees of the factory. They have been enthusiastically applauded by the audiences of Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Belarus.

Within one year over 190 cultural sessions with about 90 000 spectators take place in the cultural center.

The most popular forms of leisure activity are as follows:
    - labour glory party, a soiree organized annually and dedicated to the victories of labour team and its best representatives, divisions, 'Neat-handed masters', 'Honored engine-makers';
    - reporting back concerts of the amateur artistic groups;
    - festival of the amateur art activities;
    - New Year's theatricalized shows for the children of company's employees;
    - New Year's spectacular 'Ogoniok' (Twinkle) parties;
    - theatricalized shows 'Miss Motor Sich', 'Mister Motor Sich', 'Super Grandma', 'Super Grand-dad', ' School first-former party', family couples' show, humour party, gala-performances of 'Parade of muses' festival prize-winners, 'Songs of outgoing century', entertainment parties for young people;
    - цеховые вечера отдыха и юбилеи.

in-shop entertainment parties and jubilee celebrations.

The cultural center stock conforms to the latest requirements. The groups are provided with the theater costumes, audio and video equipment, playing and amplifying tools, illumination devices.

The artistic groups of cultural center are constant participants of the in-town, regional and republican competitions, festivals and spectacular shows and merry-making festivals in spring and summer as well as during national and professional holidays.