The Arizona Balalaika Orchestra is a community orchestra that performs traditional folk music and songs from Ukraine, Poland, Russia, and other Slavic countries. The orchestra plays on classic folk instruments including the balalaika, domra, accordion, woodwinds and the gusli. Prior to covid, it gave annual concerts and performances, often joining with Tucson choral and folkdance groups. It has been a part of the Tucson’s diverse cultural scene for 43 years. The orchestra was founded by Estonian-born Mia Bulgarin Gay. The orchestra members are from diverse ethnic backgrounds who enjoy sharing this folk music.

The Lajkonik Polish Folk Ensemble has been sharing energetic and colorful Polish folk dances for the last 28 years, bringing a variety of authentic Polish folk costumes, dances, and songs, sharing and preserving authentic culture not only through performance but also through teaching within the group. Lajkonik is a force for Polish dance on the west coast, performing in Portland, Seattle, Phoenix, Sedona, Yorba Linda, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and representing Arizona multiple times at the International Festival of Polish Folk Groups in Rzeszów Poland.

Lajkonik’s collaboration with the Arizona Balalaika Orchestra has also been long and fruitful, with the groups performing together for nearly 10 years, with Balalaika arranging Polish folk dances for their unique instrumentation, and Lajkonik taking up the Ukrainian Hopak and a traditional Puppet dance as part of our repetoir. At least twice a year the groups perform together, bringing live music and folk dance together in a Slavic extravaganza!