Glory is there where a Cossack is. The ensemble of stanitsa “The Ural Mining University” is recognized as the best in Sverdlovsk region.

        On August 20 the best ensembles and performers of Orenburg Military Cossack Society gathered in Yekaterinburg. On the city’s birthday the elimination round of the military stage of the All-Russian contest “The Cossack Circle” took place in the square in front of the Concert Hall named after Lavrov. This bright festival was the chance to get acquainted with the best musical and singing, dancing, vocal, and instrumental Cossack ensembles. The spectators could enjoy the performance of the best groups and performers of Orenburg Military Cossack Society.

  The festive competition program was solemnly opened by the ataman of Orenburg Cossack Society Vladimir Romanov. After that all those who came were able to become familiar with the origins of the national Cossack culture. Art groups and individual performers demonstrated their unique culture which has always been distinguished by its visual appeal and high spirituality. A vocal group of Pokrovsky Russian Folk Choir from the village of Pokrovskoye directed by the Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation Vadim Kosyuk and the ensemble of a Cossack song "Vereya" from Krasnoturinsk under the direction of Taisiya Nadeeva showed a true freedom-loving spirit in a wedding and dance folklore. A folk dance ensemble “Zdravnitsa” (Kachkanar), a pop Cossack group "Lyubo" (Talitsa), a song and dance ensemble "Vechora" (Yekaterinburg) and Yegor Slavin from the stanitsa "The Ural Mining University" also performed in the elimination round. However the audience was captivated by enthusiasm of the folk ensemble of a Cossack song "Bagrenye" and the joint musical project of the Center of traditional folk culture of the Middle Urals and the Center of Cossack culture of the Ural State Mining University both of which are headed by Yuri Nesterov. These groups took the first and second places respectively and gained the right to represent Sverdlovsk region at the final stage of the contest which will be held on September 27 at the Concert Hall named after Lavrov and concluded by the gala concert on September 28.

    The presented programs were judged by the jury of the regional competition. The jury consisted of the Acting Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of Sverdlovsk region Lyudmila Zorina, the art director of the Ural State Academic Russian Folk Choir Irina Dokuchaev, a member of the Union of Russian Designers Oksana Bakerkina, the head of the scientific and publishing center the state budgetary cultural institution of Sverdlovsk region "Center of traditional folk culture of the Middle Urals" Svetlana Kuchevasova, a choreographer of the dance ensemble "Ulybka" of Sverdlovsk State Children's Philharmonic Olga Zhuravleva, the Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation Yuri Pankin, the ataman of Yekaterinburg regional branch of the Cossack society "Iset Line" Anatoliy Denisov and the ataman of the Middle Ural branch of Orenburg Military Cossack Society Victor Syomin. The participants were judged in accordance with the following criteria: ethnographic authenticity, quality of adaptation, style correspondence, manner characteristic of the Cossack artistic culture, the level of proficiency in folk performance.