History

An ensemble of Vsetín called "Vsacan" performed in Hovězí in March 1976. On the basis of this performance, Josef Maňák with some enthusiastic people decided to found their own ensemble. Its first name was "Hověžan". Choreographer Antonín Bitala from Karolínka led the ensemble on its dancing side. The new ensemble belonged under "Osvětová beseda Hovězí". A coordinator of cultural activities arranged a cooperation with the local "JZD Horní Vsacko"(united farmers´ cooperative) that gave the ensemble support and provided them with performances.
The first big preformance of the ensemble was a representation at the Harvest festival in Olomouc in 1977. The ensemble represented the North Moravian region at the national Harvest festival in Hradec Králové one year later, at this time already under the new name Ovčák. For the ensemble these appearances meant the collection of a new experiences and knowledge in the areas of the folklore from other parts of Bohemia and Moravia. New knowledge were gained from various ethnographic endeavors, by studying literature, by collecting materials and also through schooling and the learned teach-ins of the folk ensembles. Their first performance in front of the scholarly public was on the district round of the special interest groups in 1979. The ensemble was criticised for disunity of the folk costumes. But it was rated very good for girls´ singing. The band, which accompanied the ensemble, met for the first time in February 1980, without cimbalom at that time. The first cimbalom that was imported from Slovakia didn't play, so the local JZD bought a new one in Hungary. Ladislav Koňařík, the local teacher in music school became first violin of the cimbalom's music. Throughout his thirteen years Jiří Machanický of playing here, he has become the musical soul of the ensemble. Nowadays the ensemble cooperates mainly with his cimbalom's music. But also with another cimbalom's ensembles form the closest surroundings.
From the beginning the ensemble wrestled with a problem, that it hasn't been well led in dancing and chorographical side. Most of the choreographers haven't stayed with the ensemble for a long time, so the ensemble has suffered from their absence and their rotation. Two of the ones who led the ensemble were Mr. and Mrs. Oravec. However both left due to lack of time. In the 90´s the Navrátil brothers affected the dancing profile of the ensemble, especially the younger one, Rostislav. Ensemble choreographer Antonín Bitala, who is the star of the ensemble in choreographic terms, did the most work and effort.
"Vsacký twisting dance, the Handicraftsmen's dance and Boys´ games and Girls´ songs,"created the first dancing variety show. Another variety show were "Old-time Polkas" and also " Forest bandit dances". In 1985 the ensemble presented a new variety show "Dancing at Hovězí". Other dances that belong to the repertoire of the ensemble are: "Zvrtaný, Šotýský,Luženské točené, Mateníky", and the men's solo dance "Odzemek".
In the middle of March 1992 mistress Z. Jelínková, the workwoman of the Institution for ethnography and folklore of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech republic, visited the ensemble accompanied by Mrs. Urbachová from the Ethnic museum in Vsetín and with Mrs. Kovářová from the cultural department of Vsetín with the idea of restoring Harvest festival traditions in Hovězí, which were put on to the cultural programme of the 100th anniversary of the ethnic exposition at Vsetín. The appearance was met with a very affirmative welcome from the public. With this programme the ensemble appeared also in Prague on Žofín on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the arrangement of the "Českovlovanská ethnic Exhibition" in 1895. Whose conception of Moravian folk festivals had been worked up by Leoš Janáček.
Another ensemble called "Fortáší" has performed with the Ovčák ensemble since 1993. It was founded by former members of Ovčák, who weren't dancing actively at that time but didn´t want to abandon their liking.
Since 1992 the ensemble expanded its activities abroad, where for the first time they took part in a festival in the Austrian town of Radgesburg. In 1998 they went along with the "Lipta" ensemble form Liptál to the Italian city Udine for its local festival. One month later, again with Lipta, they went off to Polish Wisla and to Makov for the "Beskydské Celebration". Thanks to this ensemble Ovčák took part in the well-known XXIX. "Liptálské celebrations" in the same year.
Since the 80´s the ensemble has had a friendship with the Moravian-Slovak ensemble "Mistřín" at Mistřín, whose members act under the name "A good wine friends association". Their friendship lasts up to the present day. In 1998 the ensemble appeared at a national folk festival there. Another ensemble they are friends with is the ensemble "Váh" from Púchov, that nearly every year visits the traditional "Wallachian ball". In 1999 the ensemble took part in a folk festival in Púchov called "Folk Púchov".
In 2001 Ovčák celebrated its twenty-five years of activity in Wallachia and its surroundings. At the programme of celebration appeared both the ensembles Ovčák and Fortáši together with the childrens' ensemble "Jaloveček", who also perform in Hovězí. Some former members of Jaloveček work in Ovčák now.
The cimbalom music of Jiří Nechanický accompanied all three ensembles. Especially for this occasion choreographer Antoním Bitala created a new common variety show for Ovčák and Fortáši called "Portášské", by which culminated the festival. This programme was attended by many former members of the ensemble, one of which was the founder of the ensemble father Josef Maňák.