Grigoriy Chapkis
Country:
Ukraine
Company:
Art
He was born in Chisinau, but shortly after the family moved to Cäuseni, and in 1940s, they settled to Tiraspol. Here, he entered the dance club of Pioneers Palace. During World War II, his family was evacuated to Kazakhstan.
After the war ended, the family settled to Kiev, where Grigoriy Chapkis en- tered the railway school and the ensemble of songs and dance of the society "Working Resources". In 1945, this collective performed in Kremlin, where Iosif Stalin gave him a wristwatch as sign of recognition.
At the age of 16, Grigoriy Chapkis started his professional career in dance. In February 1946, he was enrolled as ballet dancer in the State Ensemble of Songs and Dance of Ukraine, which became subsequently famous as State Ensemble of Academic Honor of Ukrainian SSR.
For 26 years of activity in this art collective, he was implicated in almost all cho-
reographic productionsand participated in 70 trips abroad. This period was one of the
most brightest in the life of Grigoriy Chapckis.
Professor at the department of choreography at the Institute of Arts, the
Boris Grinchenko University of Kiev and artistic director of Grigoryi Chapkis Dance School of Ukraine since 2007. Ukrainian dancer and choreograph, laureate of three international competition, People's Artist of Ukraine (2010).