UKELODEON: For The Next Generation (12/10/00)

UKELODEON

For The Next Generation

Sisters to appear in "The Nutcracker"

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - Sisters Katrusya Oksana Lotocky and Tatiana Halyna Lotocky will be performing in Miami City Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker" this month.

Tatiana, 9, is understudy for the lead role of Marie, in addition to being cast as a grandchild in the opening party scene.

What's amazing is that older sister Katrusya, who is 10, starred in that role last holiday season. (See UKELODEON, February 23, 2000.)

Katrusya will once again portray a polichinelle, an Italian doll, in George Balanchine's choreography of the holiday classic.

The girls were selected in a closed audition held at Miami City Ballet School in Miami Beach, Florida. Katrusya is beginning her fifth year there and is on full scholarship. This is Tatiana's second year at the school, and first time she has auditioned for the full-scale professional show.

They are also members of the Ukrainian Dancers of Miami and have been very busy with performances at local Oktoberfests, in addition to school and several ballet classes each week.

The performances are at the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts in Miami Beach on December 15, 16 and 17, and at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on December 22 and 23.

You can read more on the website www.ukrainiandancersmiami.org (click on the "news" section).

SUM camp hosts masquerade

ELLENVILLE, N.Y. - Going up to camp isn't just for summertime any more! Young members of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM) from the New York City and Goshen, N.Y., branches gathered at SUM's Ellenville "oselia," or resort (known for its summer camps) on November 4-5 for a weekend of festivities and fun.

The two-day adventure started on Saturday afternoon with hay rides, a scavenger hunt, a masquerade party and dinner for children of all ages - from 3 to 73.

The masquerade theme was "Karnyval Kazok" and featured scores of fairytale-related activities and contests, including a "Didova Ripka" matching game, "Rukavychka" dress-up station, a "knock the komaryk from the oak tree" toss, fishing from "Ivasyk Telesyk's" boat, beating the three bears to the bowls of porridge, building a gingerbread house, face-painting, mask-making, decorating goody bags and collecting treats, fortune-telling and much more!

Not to be outdone by their younger brothers and sisters, the oldest children enjoyed getting lost in the spooky maze filled with ghouls and goblins. Even parents got into the act by dressing up as their favorite characters and staging a musical presentation of everybody's favorite mosquito story - "Oy scho zh to za shum" (the late komaryk really was a good sport about the whole affair)

Following an evening of delights, Sunday brought with it time for reflection. After attending liturgy at Holy Trinity Church in Kerhonkson, N.Y., and a service in memory of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, back at the camp the SUMivtsi held a commemoration honoring those who more than 80 years ago participated in the famous retaking of Lviv by the Sichovi Striltsi (Ukrainian Sich Riflemen) during the night of October 31 to November 1, 1918.

Participants listened as Stefan Priatka recounted the story of the vastly outnumbered Ukrainian forces who, against all odds, were able to take control of the city and surrounding lands, and advance the struggle for the independent Ukraine that today is a reality.

Having enjoyed the autumn weather and warm atmosphere of their camp, the SUMivtsi from the two cities parted ways until their next meeting at their favorite summertime spot.

It's Bush!

NEWARK, N.J. - Like many schools and classes across the country, Grade 4 at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic School in Newark, N.J., held an "election" of the next president of the United States.

Their balloting did not require a recount, as did the real presidential election in which the voting for Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore, the U.S. vice-president, was so close that no winner could be declared on Election Day.

The result: a unanimous vote for Mr. Bush, currently the governor of Texas. Lest any reader think that students influenced each other's votes, it should be noted that the vote was a secret ballot.

A political observer in Grade 4 commented that the overwhelming support for "W" was probably due to the Republican candidate's support for Catholic schools (read: school vouchers).

Grade 4 students later watched the real presidential election on television. The results there were, well, inconclusive at press time.

CHECK IT OUT:

On page 23 of this issue, read about the Ukrainian youth volleyball program in Morris County, N.J., and its most recent friendship tournament on November 26.

Passaic School marks Halloween, and All Saints Day

PASSAIC, N.J. - Schoolchildren of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School here enjoyed their annual Halloween Party in the school auditorium on Friday, October 27. There were many wonderful costumes and a good time was had by all. The following Tuesday, October 31, St. Nicholas students celebrated the Feast of All Saints. As seen in the photo above, they wore costumes of the saints they represented and spoke about their lives.

Dancers from Minnesota 'medal' at dance competition

by K. Breslawec

DAUPHIN, Manitoba - Natalia, Marko and Daria Kushnir from Minneapolis, participated in the Ukrainian National Dance Competition in Dauphin, Manitoba, where they were acknowledged for their outstanding performances of Ukrainian folk dances.

Natalia, 13, received gold and bronze medals; Marko, 12, gold and silver medals; and Daria, 9, a gold medal. They performed dances from the Transcarpathian, Hutsul and Poltava regions of Ukraine.

The young dancers are members of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM) Cheremosh dance ensemble, whose artistic director and choreographer, Ken Matlashewski, recently relocated to the Twin Cities from Canada. Mr. Matlashewski, his wife, Maria, and daughter, Zoryanna, now reside in the metropolitan area and are active members of the Ukrainian community.

Natalia, Marko and Daria performed their award-winning program on November 4 at the Ukrainian Community Center as part of the 75th jubilee celebrations of St. Michael's Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In the audience was their proud grandfather, Ananij Kushnir, one of the original instructors of the Cheremosh troupe.

Mishanyna

December is a month filled with excitement for most Ukrainian children. After waiting all year long with much anticipation, children finally are visited by St. Nicholas. Did you know that he is considered the patron saint of children?

He was born many years ago in Patara, which is in Asia Minor. When he grew older he became a monk in the monastery of Sion. He was a very kind man who gave away all of his wealth to the poor and needy.

As word of his generosity spread, people began to call him the "Wonderworker."

Eventually he became the archbishop of Myra. St. Nicholas was a humble and very thoughtful person. He especially enjoyed doing good deeds in secret so that no one would know he did them.

All over the world people celebrate this beloved man. In Holland, for example, children leave their wooden shoes by the fireplace in anticipation of his arrival. If children are naughty they sometimes receive a birch stick! Sound familiar?

Well, here at Ukelodeon we are sure all our readers will be rewarded for being good this month. Enjoy our Mishanyna (try to find the words on the list below) and try to emulate St. Nicholas in your behavior.

archbishop, Asia, children, December, Holland, kind, monk, needy, Patara, Patron, poor, Saint Nicholas, secret, Sion, wealth, Wonderworker, wooden shoes, Myra

Mykola Myshka waits for St. Nicholas

Mykola has been daydreaming in school. Do you know why? Have you?

Letter to Mykola Myshka

Dear Mykola:

I have the answer to the question posed in the November 12 UKELODEON. The answer is St. Andrew!

Your friend,

Courtney Nestor from Granger, Ind.

OUR NEXT ISSUE:

UKELODEON is published on the second Sunday of every month. To make it into our next issue, dated January 14, 2001, please send in your materials by January 5, 2001. (Please include a daytime phone number.)

Send in your articles, letters, photos, etc. to: The Ukrainian Weekly, UKELODEON, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, N.J., 07054; telephone, (973) 292-9800; fax, (973) 644-9510; e-mail, [email protected].

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