About Us

Bashkimi Dance is the premier Albanian folk dance troupe of Massachusetts. It was established in 1996 by the well-known Albanian choreographer Bashkim Braho, who had just moved to the US. Upon his arrival in Boston, Bashkim immediately perceived the need of the newly formed ethnic community for communal and self-expression. He soon delivered by harnessing the talent resource and bringing Albanian young dancers together.

Since its inception, the troupe has been composed of Albanian students and graduates from various universities in Boston. Their love and enthusiasm for dance make these young artists find the necessary time to dedicate to their practice, regardless of their busy personal schedules. The group constantly welcomes American born dancers as well, who show love and appreciation for the Albanian folkloric art, and have the spark of talent to fly hand in hand with their fellow dancers.

Mission

Bashkimi Dance is dedicated to keeping alive the tradition of Albanian dance and music in the heart of the Albanian communities in Massachusetts and across the United States. To do this, we constantly work on enriching our repertoire from the abundant source of Albanian folk culture, a wellspring of a great variety of folk dances.
Some of our most successful dances performed in festivals and concerts are: “Mourning for Cameria”,”Men’s Laberia”,”Girl’s Tropoja”, “Tirana”, “Kosova” and “Arberesh”.
Among the many dances that the group performs, there is one in particular that holds a special place. The dance is called “Mother Albania- Yours are Kosova and Chameria”. The dance feeds on the longing of Albanians living in neighboring countries, to be reunited to the motherland. The dancers represent the South and the North through their costumes. They dance and celebrate because they are all brothers and sisters from the same mother, Albania.

Photo Gallery

Explore Captivating Moments in Our Photo Gallery