(upbeat folk music) (performers clapping) - [Announcer] The Tamburitzans proudly present, Phoenix.

(performers playing upbeat folk music) An unforgettable show bursting with music, (performers playing upbeat folk music) exhilarating song (woman singing) and traditional dances.

(men chanting) (women singing) (performers cheering) (performers playing upbeat folk music) - Just amazing pure energy.

- Really I love it.

I'm sitting there staring with a smile, like.

(male performers cheering) - Oh my, God.

- Very good.

- Awesome.

- [Announcer] Since 1937, the The Tamburitzans have been entertaining audiences worldwide with their breathtaking entertainment.

(upbeat folk music) Join The Tammies for a thrilling trip around the world.

(upbeat folk music) - [Group] Hey!

(audience cheering) (women singing in foreign language) (music increasing tempo) (women singing more loudly) (men singing in foreign language) (choir harmonizing) (women singing) (choir singing together) (band playing more loudly) (upbeat cheerful music) (singing slowing) (somber music) (men singing) (performers clapping) (performers slapping shoes) (women singing) (man clapping, slapping shoes) (choir singing together) (group clapping, slapping) (upbeat music) (men clapping, slapping) (men chanting) - [Men] Hey!

Ho!

(audience applauding) - [Performer] Hey!

(men clapping) (women singing) (men clapping, slapping) (choir harmonizing) - [Performer] Hey!

(audience applauding) (performers stomping) (upbeat folk music) (performers stomping) - [Performer] Hup!

Hup!

(upbeat folk music) (audience applauding) (choir singing) (choir singing) (performers slapping) (upbeat folk music) (choir singing) (choir singing) (performers slapping) (audience applauding) (feet stomping) (choir singing) (upbeat folk music) (choir singing) - [Performer] Hup!

Hup!

(upbeat folk music) - [Performers] Hey!

Ho!

(upbeat folk music) - [Performer] Hey!

Ho!

(upbeat folk music) - [Performer] Hup!

Hup!

(feet stomping) (upbeat folk music) (performer whistling) - [Group] Hup!

(upbeat folk music) (audience applauding) (choir singing) (choir singing) (feet stomping) (upbeat folk music) - [Performers] Hey!

Ho!

Ho!

(upbeat folk music) - [Performers] Hey!

Ho!

Ho!

(upbeat folk music) (feet stomping) (audience applauding) - Where are we?

- Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin.

(upbeat accordion music) (women chuckling) (upbeat accordion music) - This is a small village and this is a big deal.

- And we took, we just take them in like they are part of us here when they're here.

- Every year.

I can't wait for August.

Family and friends, they all come, as you well know, it's going to be a full house again tonight.

(audience clapping) - [Performer] Hey!

Ho!

- We used to train here and we had a connection way back in the forties.

- Oh my gosh.

When I was a child, we used to literally in our swimsuits, because we'd swim at the beach, we'd come up to the auditorium and we were able to go in there and watch them rehearse.

- The Tamburitzans basically took over the community of Lake Nebagamon.

- The Tammies were the town during that time.

- They had their own little houses.

- [Kryssi] They a house.

Oh yeah.

They were like local yokels.

- We're in Tamburitzans Field Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin.

All that enthusiasm, they were so good.

- Tamburitzans began in 1937.

Small group of musicians coming up out of Texas.

- It was a small orchestra.

I think it was 13 or 14 guys.

- The evolution of the Tamburitzans performance has been almost like a sit down show.

(upbeat folk music) - And it started from very humble beginnings, almost like vaudeville, a couple guys on stage playing and telling a few jokes maybe.

(upbeat folk music) (performers singing) - And then it changed in the late sixties, early seventies (men singing) to be more marketable of a variety type show.

(upbeat folk music) And now of course we still do the traditional performances, but making them more marketable, more commercial and all the technology that goes along to support that.

(upbeat folk music) - And now it's a production.

That's the Tamburitzans.

You know, when we go backstage here, it's challenging, you know, getting up around the building.

- So we have to go outside, walk all around the building, in the grass, in the mud.

Hope we don't slip in our costumes.

It's very tight quarters backstage.

So all of our quick changes have to be set farther from stage than we're used to.

So there's a lot of running going on.

There's a lot of panic behind stage.

But the magic of is that the audience would never know because we get on stage and we're calm, cool, and collected.

(upbeat folk music) (performers singing) - When we come here.

For some reason, I think the past spirits and the present and the future is all in this place.

That's how I can describe it.

It's magical.

- Oh, there you got it.

- [Woman] Cheese!

- [Interviewer] You guys liking the show?

- Oh my, God.

- Very good.

- Awesome.

- Amazing.

The dances.

- Oh my gosh.

- The energy!

- They're so talented!

- I got yearbooks from all of the years that we have been here.

Yes, oh!

- Come to Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin for the Tamburitzans.

It's a hot ticket.

(woman chuckling) (upbeat folk music) - [Performers] Hey!

(audience applauding) (serious folk music) (performers singing in foreign language) (serious folk music) (performers singing) (audience applauding) (performer whistling) (clarinet playing solo) - [Performers] Hey!

Ho-ho!

(clarinet playing with drum) - [Performer] Hey ho!

(band playing folk music) - [Performers] Hoo!

- [Performers] Hoo!

- [Performers] Hah!

(audience applauding) (upbeat folk music) (men singing in foreign language) - [Performer] Hey!

Ho!

(men singing in foreign language) (upbeat folk music) - [Performer] Hah!

- [Performer] Hey!

(women singing in foreign language) (audience applauding) - [Performers] Hoo!

(upbeat folk music) (choir singing) (audience applauding) (clarinet playing solo) (band joining in) (upright bass playing solo) (band joining in) (drum playing solo) (band joining in) (clarinet squawking) (audience applauding) (band playing folk song) (clarinet squawking) (audience applauding) (gentle music) (audience clapping) (lively music) (dancers shouting) (audience clapping) (gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (audience clapping) (lively music) (audience clapping) (lively music continues) (audience clapping) (lively music continues) (dancers cheering) (lively music continues) (audience cheering) (dancers cheering) (audience clapping) (audience cheering) - Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Backstage, Bella, come on, come on.

- Backstage tour!

- Backstage exclusive.

Here we have all our costumes, our changing areas.

As you can see, it's a mess.

- [Dancer] Don't get that one.

- It's a mess.

- The show itself is really unique, I think, because we bring so many cultures together and they're all different.

- When you're done dance warmups.

- Okay.

(lively music) - I only did Ukrainians before, but now I can experience dancing different cultures.

(gentle flute music) ♪ I play the flute ♪ ♪ Yes I do ♪ (lively music) - Being on stage and being able to perform is huge learning experience for me.

And that's something that has been a big takeaway for me.

You know, whenever we learn these dances or different pieces, we learn a little bit about what the meaning behind the dance or the song is.

- Should I just play?

- [Cameraman] Anything you like.

(lively music) - I think it's important to just spread the cultural awareness and traditions and we're losing it every year.

Time goes by, but we're kind of keepers of traditions.

- We all become like a family and everyone has like different backgrounds and you meet people who are from different countries and keeping the culture alive.

I just think it's really important.

- Get in your windows, make sure that you have space that people can see you.

You got a nice large stage to work with.

Let's make use of it.

We started this journey back at TCC when we pulled out to go to Bethany.

What a year?

What a year we had.

Tonight's the pinnacle 'cause tonight we get to show what we've done, what we've worked for, our families, all our friends, everybody that's here, people that support this organization.

This is your night.

Make it great.

You've made me proud.

Thanks.

(dancers clapping) (lively music) (dancers shouting) (lively music continues) (dancers cheering) (audience clapping) (upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) (audience cheering) (upbeat music continues) (dancers clapping rhythmically) (audience cheering) (gentle music) (gentle music playing faster) (fast gentle music continues) (audience clapping) (music continues) (audience cheering) (lively music) - An outstanding experience.

Fantastic.

- Get out of there.

- And once in a lifetime to see something this fantastic.

- That's right.

- Just amazing, pure energy.

- High energy.

They're fantastic.

- It's such an athletic method of dancing.

- What they're promoting is so happy.

- Awesome.

- I love it.

- Best ever, best ever.

- And seeing the smiles on stage, that is just so heartwarming.

- I love it.

I'm sitting there staring with a smile like, no!

It's so good, I love it.

- I mean, it's such a part of Pittsburgh history and we're so proud of having them here.

- They enjoy what they're doing and you can tell.

- The joy of the dancing and the celebration of the culture.

- I gotta admit, I'm Serbian, so whenever the Serbians come on, I go nuts.

- The Tamburitzans are long tradition from Pittsburgh.

And to carry on the traditions of ethnicity is amazing.

- These are just normal college kids that have transformed themselves and you feel like they've come there from the other country.

- I hope another a hundred years, they're still here.

- You can tell their family on stage just watching them.

- So to see them carry on that tradition and just literally take the part of their home country and to dance and sing like their ancestors is amazing.

(singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (folk music band begins play) (audience applauding and cheering) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (audience applauding) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (folk music band plays more rapidly) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (audience applauding) (folk music band plays rapidly) (audience applauding) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (audience applauding) (folk music band plays rapidly) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing/shouting in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing in foreign language) (folk music band plays) (singing in foreign language) (folk music band plays rapidly) (singing in foreign language) (audience applauding) (speaking in foreign language) (folk music band plays highlighting accordions) (folk music band plays) (folk music band plays) (folk music band plays) (folk music band plays) (audience applauding) (solo clarinet music begins) (folk music band plays) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (folk music band continues highlighting clarinet) (audience cheering) (folk music band plays) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (vocalist singing in foreign language) (audience applauding and cheering) (folk music band begins play highlighting flute) (folk music band plays softly) (folk music band plays softly) (folk music band plays softly) (folk music band plays softly) (folk music band plays softly) (audience applauding and cheering) (folk music band plays rapidly) (folk music band plays rapidly) (audience applauding and cheering) (folk music band plays rapidly) (audience applauding and cheering) (folk music band plays rapidly) (folk music band plays rapidly) (audience applauding and cheering) (folk music band plays rapidly) (folk music band plays rapidly) (audience applauding and cheering) - The Tamburitzans are a tradition in Calumet.

They've been coming every year for many, many years.

- We're in Calumet, Michigan.

Right up in the upper peninsula, right up on the Keweenaw Peninsula.

- This was the first.

The first municipally-owned theatre in the country.

The Village of Calumet took out loans, and made an addition to the Village Hall, which we called the Calumet Theater.

In one year, they put up this structure.

(jazzy piano music) When the theatre opened in 1900, there were over 30,000 people within walking distance of the theatre.

Copper mining came to the area in the late 1850s.

- This was the place where the pure, pure copper came from.

- Each of the pieces of art that you see on our arch is designed to represent the five muses of the arts.

The upper seats that you see, you see seats here, seats on the second balcony, which are some of the original seats from the theater.

And then you see bench seats on the top.

And those were bench seats so that they're easier to clean, that way the miners could come directly from the mine in their dirty clothes and sit up there.

I'm holding a ticket from 1943, for our longest-standing act, the Tamburitzans.

They started here in 1938.

This is their 86th season here.

You have people that have come to see the Tammys ever since they were kids.

- Oh my gosh, probably about in 1952, '55.

- Probably about 60 years ago.

- It was in high school that I first heard them.

The first time I saw them was in 1939.

To be in amongst them was quite a thrill.

- With what we do, it's very similar.

PBS often has different fund raisers that they use to support their efforts, we do the same.

- PBS takes us away from the doldrums.

When they bring an adventure to the world.

And that's what we need more of.

It's a service to us, it's a service to the community, it's a service to the world.

All cultures with their music and their arts, add to our life.

It's a cultural center for the upper peninsula, really.

It has a broad audience.

- Much like the mission from the 1900, when they were first here, and bringing in entertainment from other areas to the local people.

(bus rumbling) (gentle violin music) - [Dimitri] Vibrant.

- [Iryna] Elegant.

- [Dimitri] Glorious.

- [Iryna] Strong.

(gentle violin music) Members from the audience came to me and said that when they saw Ukrainian dance, they felt like they were home.

So I dance because I started early on when I was three years old and since then it became the most important part of my life.

- I got into Ukrainian dancing when I was about three years old and I fell in love with it and still doing it to this day.

- Through dancing, I can preserve my culture.

- Your culture defines who you are.

(gentle violin music) - Ukrainian set has a really colorful costume pieces.

It's rich in history.

- [Dimitri] And it's a very celebratory dance.

- The dance is from Poltava region, it's in central Ukraine.

And when the audience sees this dance, they can see many tricks from male dancers.

- [Dimitri] To show the strength and their happiness of victory after a successful battle.

- And how they defended our land.

Girls are just supposed to support them and show the elegance.

It just represents Ukraine in the most powerful way.

This dance means a lot to me.

Every time I dance it, it just feels like it's my home and it matters everything to me.

(soft music) (drum beats) (Ukrainian folk music) (dancers clap) (crowd cheers) (all chant) (Ukrainian folk music) (dancers clap) (crowd cheers) (crowd cheers and claps) (Ukrainian folk music) (crowd cheers and claps) (crowd cheers and claps) (dancers clap) (dancers clap) (Ukrainian folk music) (crowd cheers) (dancers clap) (crowd cheers) (all clap) (crowd cheers) (dancers clap) (dancers chant) (dancers clap) (dancers chant) (crowd cheers) (Ukrainian folk music) (all clap) (crowd cheers) (dancers cheer) (all clap) (crowd cheers and clap) (Ukrainian folk music) (dancers chant) (crowd claps) (dancers clap) (Ukrainian folk music) (crowd cheers) (dancers clap) (crowd cheers) (dancers chant) (crowd cheers loudly) - [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, (crowd claps loudly) This concludes today's performance.

Thank you for making this presentation featuring The Tamburitzans.

We can't wait to see you at another performance soon.

(dancer speaks in Ukrainian) - We all love each other so much.

Guys, we're all family, we're all gonna be family for life.

Alright, love you all.

- One, two, three!

(all cheer) - And that's a wrap.

- [Interviewer] Is it okay if I use this interview for our show that we're filming about the Tamburitzans?

- Oh sure.

- Oh, my God in Heaven.

- We love the Tamburitzans.

(Ukrainian folk music) (all clap) - You need to be around so many friends and like getting to get so close with so many people.

- [Dancer] Hold on a sec, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Where is that like coming from?

(man whistles) - [Man] Sorry, Bryce.

- One.

- Has anyone here ever played backgammon?

- [Dancer] Yeah.

- One, one, strike, step, huh.

One, two.

(coach vocalizes) (all cheer) (all clap) - [Dancer] I did it, I did it, Chance.

(all chatter and clap)