THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM (07/07/96)

THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM

Soyuzivka hosts 12th annual Father's Day commemoration

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - The UNA successfully celebrated its 12th annual Father's Day at Soyuzivka on June 16. Some 500 guests visited Soyuzivka during this weekend and about 400 filled the Veselka auditorium.

After divine liturgies at the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church and a special moleben service celebrated by the pastor, the Rev. Volodymyr Zajac, for the intention of fathers, the guests assembled at the Veselka hall for the afternoon concert.

The concert featured the Lyman Ukrainian Dance Ensemble from Baltimore, and Roman Tsymbala, tenor soloist from the Ivan Franko National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet in Lviv.

Lyman has been in existence since 1978. Its members are mostly high school and college students, who meet every weekend for practice and performances and thereby preserve and perpetuate a very rich Ukrainian art form.

Over the years the ensemble has earned a solid reputation; it is often invited to perform at international festivals and Ukrainian concerts on the Eastern Seaboard from North Carolina to New York state.

The troupe's director-choreographer is Orest Lasiuk, a veteran dance instructor with over 20 years of experience. Andrew Goolsby is Lyman's business manager.

Mr. Tsymbala has been on international concert tours since 1988, performing in nine countries and on three continents. He made his North American debut in 1992 at an opera performance at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, N.J., where he sang the role of the Duke in "Rigoletto."

The concert was opened by Andre Worobec, fraternal activities coordinator and program director for this concert, who greeted the audience and introduced Halyna Kolessa, the mistress of ceremonies for the afternoon.

Consistent with the theme of Father's Day, Ms. Kolessa spoke of the father's importance in the family and related it to the fatherly "Batko Soyuz" (Father UNA) - the Ukrainian nickname for the UNA. This name symbolizes the UNA's relationship to the Ukrainian community in the U.S. and Canada, as well as its relationship to the Ukrainian homeland. Throughout its century-long history the UNA has often been a "father" to the Ukrainian community; it has often been referred to as guardian and protector of the Ukrainian diaspora.

Ms. Kolessa introduced the Lyman dance ensemble and its first number, "Pryvit," a welcome dance. This was followed by a female solo dance "Divocha Mria" (Girl's Fantasy) and "Zaporozhets" (Kozak Sword Dance).

During the interlude Ms. Kolessa continued relating the UNA's important contributions to the Ukrainian community and to Ukraine. For example, she noted that since 1992 the UNA has been organizing volunteer teachers and professional instructors and sending them to Ukraine to teach English and to hold workshops for Ukrainian teachers of English in order to familiarize them with the most recent methods of Teaching English as a Second language.

She then introduced Mr. Tsymbala, who began his performance with "Sontse Nyzenko" (The Sun is Setting), Petro's aria from "Natalka Poltavka," followed by "Dyvliusia Na Nebo" (I Look at the Sky) and "Molytva"(Prayer), Andriy's aria from "Zaporozhets Za Dunayem" (Kozak Beyond the Danube).

Lyman and Mr. Tsymbala alternated numbers. Lyman performed "Robochyi Tanets"(Farmer's Dance) and Kolomyika (a dance from the Carpathian region of Ukraine).

Ms. Kolessa filled in interesting information about the concert performers and introduced UNA dignitaries present at the concert.

Mr. Tsymbala followed with "Oy Ne Stelysia Khreshchatyi Barvinku" (Why Must You Grow, Knotty Periwinkle) and "Khata Moya Rublena" (My Wood-Frame House), while Lyman performed "Romance," a courtship dance by a couple, John and Annalisa Czeczulin, and then a solo dance by its youngest and most promising dancer, Lew Iwashko. (Lew will be attending Roma Pryma Bohachevsky's Ukrainian Dance Workshop this summer) at Soyuzivka.

Mr. Tsymbala then sang his final number, "Stoyit Hora Vysokaya" (There Stands a Tall Mountain), and the dance group treated the guests to its best and final number, the "Grand Hopak," a beautiful display of grace and acrobatics.

For the final curtain call all performers gathered on stage, and the audience joined Mr. Tsymbala in singing "Mnohaya Lita" for all fathers.

Present in the audience were the following UNA dignitaries: UNA President Ulana Diachuk, with her husband, Wolodymyr; UNA Advisor Alex Chudolij, with his wife, Lilliana, and son Petrus; Jaroslaw Padoch, honorary member of the UNA General Assembly and former supreme secretary; Soyuzivka Manager John A. Flis; Walter Kwas, former manager of Soyuzivka and honorary member of the Troy-Albany UNA District Executive Board; Paul Shevchuk, chairman of the Troy-Albany District and secretary of Branch 13; Tymko Butrej, chairman of the Wilkes-Barre District and longtime secretary of Branch 164; Michael Sawka, secretary of Branch 57; Ivan Pryhoda, secretary of Branch 200; Janet Bardell, secretary of Branch 241; Dmytro Sarachmon, president of Branch 206; Helen Trenkler, Ukrainian recording secretary of Branch 93; Wasyl Maruschak, president of Branch 42; and Nicholas Fil, president of Branch 13.

The UNA expressed thanks to guests from the Albany-Watervliet area for coming in massive numbers, particularly to Mr. Fil for organizing the trip, as well to Mr. Sarachmon, who organized a bus excursion from Woonsocket, R.I.

Young UNA'ers

Maya Tatiana Lucyshyn, daugther of Tamara (Korytko) and Nick Lucyshyn, is a new member of UNA Branch 360 in Buffalo, N.Y. She was enrolled by her grandparents Lubomyr and Ludmyla Korytko.

John, Oksanna, Nadya and Nicholas, children of Paul and Donna Spotts, are new members of UNA Branch 242 in Frackville, Pa. They were enrolled by their parents.

James Theodore Thornton, son of Larissa Pishko Thornton and James L. Thornton, is a new member of UNA Branch 338 in Monessen, Pa. He was enrolled by his grandparents Boris and Olga Pishko.

Julia Caitlyn Petruch, daughter of Myron and Eileen Petruch, is a new member of UNA Branch 76 in Newark, N.J. Seen with Julia is her older sister, Natalie Kathleen, who is also a member of Branch 76. Julia was enrolled by her grandparents Jaroslaw and Julia Petruch.

Julian A. Dolinay, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Dolinay, is a new member of UNA Branch 422 in Philadelphia. He was enrolled in the UNA by his father.

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