Ensembles and orchestras were formed, frequently affiliated with churches and social clubs. Ethnic nightclubs and cabarets featured folk acts, and Western music publishing houses issued hundreds of Russian and gypsy songs as sheet music and songbooks. While many of these groups, acts and clubs had disappeared by the 1940s, a few survived and kept the musical and cultural traditions alive. Today, there are a dozen or so Russian folk orchestras active in the United States, most of which were formed since 1960. The Washington Balalaika Society, now in its eleventh year, is the largest of these.
Smaller ensembles are active in many other cities.