Bashkimi Dance Ensemble

Bashkimi Dance Ensemble is an Albanian folk dance troupe based in the Boston area and operating under the umbrella of the Massachusetts Albanian American Society "Besa" (MAAS-Besa), which lists the group on its website. MAAS-Besa describes Bashkimi as "the premier Albanian folk dance troupe in Massachusetts," with a repertoire built around traditional dances and customs drawn from various regions of Albania.

The ensemble was established in 1996 by Albanian choreographer Bashkim Braho, who moved to Boston in 1995 and founded the group the following year. Braho continues to lead Bashkimi Dance as its artistic director, and under his direction the troupe has performed for more than two decades, according to its official Facebook page.

Bashkimi runs as a community-based ensemble. MAAS-Besa periodically posts open calls stating that "Bashkimi Dance is holding auditions for new dancers," noting that prior dance experience is not required but commitment is expected. That model keeps the troupe rooted in the local Albanian-American community while bringing in new performers over time.

Beyond Massachusetts, the group has traveled to represent Albanian traditional dance and customs at events around the United States, a role MAAS-Besa has highlighted in asking the Albanian community to support its work. Within the NAR directory, Bashkimi Dance Ensemble sits in the cultural_community category as one of the longer-running Albanian folk dance programs in the Northeast.