THE THINGS WE DO...: Incredible lightness of dancing: Rusalka at 40 (11/09/03)

THE THINGS WE DO...

by Orysia Paszczak Tracz

Incredible lightness of dancing: Rusalka at 40

I remember the first time I really noticed how good Ukrainian folk dancing can be. It was in the early 1960s, and I was working at Soyuzivka. The Peter Marunchak Dancers of Montreal were performing at the weekend concert at Veselka. There was an energy, an enthusiasm, excellent choreography and costumes, and great joy beaming from the dancers onstage.

At the time I had not seen many other American dance groups (I do not think there were many established ones then), but these Canadians sure impressed me. And the late Mr. Marunchak was amazing both in his own dancing and in passing on that joy to his students. He was a generation older than they, and yet danced his solos with even more energy than his younger "prysiady"-mates.

I thought of Petro Marunchak as I watched the 40th anniversary concert of the Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble of Winnipeg at the Centennial Concert Hall on September 12. There was a connection between him and the dancers onstage. After I had settled in Winnipeg in 1968, I was pleased to see the Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble carrying on the same tradition as the Montrealers. It was interesting to me that these kids were not my generation of Ukrainians, the post-World War II children of the DPs (displaced persons). They were the children of the old Canadians, the descendants of the pioneers who came to Canada at the end of the 19th century, and those who immigrated between the two wars. When Rusalka first started its rehearsals, there were few DP kids in the group. Yet it was the patriotism and the love of Ukrainian culture passed down by their already Canadian parents that inspired these teenagers (and younger) to join the new ensemble. They were members of MUNO, the youth group of the Ukrainian National Federation, established in Canada in the period between the two wars.

They love it. You can tell by their smiles and by their entire bodies that dancing is what they want and love to do. And they dance so well - elegantly, lightly and with great finesse. The same can be said of many Ukrainian dance ensembles but, on the weekend of September 12-13, it was the members of Rusalka who were beaming. Along with Shumka (in Edmonton), Rusalka is in the select group of top Ukrainian dance ensembles in North America.

In addition to the two concerts and many reunions, there was a special luncheon to honor the founder of Rusalka, Peter Hladun of St. Catharines, Ontario, and former presidents of the Rusalka board of directors: Chief Justice Ben Hewak of the Court of Queen's Bench (retired), and lawyer Oleh Romaniw. Over 300 attended this event.

Mr. Hladun founded Rusalka in 1962, selecting the best from the UNF school of dance. Quite a few of those original 12-year-olds, along with other retired alumni, danced at the 40th anniversary concert, in the Pryvit (welcoming dance). If you did not read the program, you would not have known that it was the "old-timers" in the Triasunets and Uvyvanets segments. In the same dance, three generations of some families were onstage, as alumni, dancers and young children (from the UNF dance school).

The media coverage before the concert included many interviews with present and former dancers, and all emphasized their love of Ukrainian culture and the sense of family within the group. With two or more rehearsals per week, especially before tours and other performances, the dancers really do become family. Over the decades, many couples met in Rusalka, and now their children dance in the troupe. A Rusalka tradition is that the dancers perform at the weddings of their fellow members, with the bride and groom usually joining in.

Among the 500 to 600 individuals who danced in Rusalka over the four decades are those who went into high-profile careers in the arts and sciences: Slawko Klymkiw, executive director of network programming at CBC Television; Andrey Tarasiuk, associate director and director of new-play development of the Stratford Festival; Mimi Kuzyk, actress; Peter Pawlyshyn, artistic director of the Boston Ballet; Tamara Gorski, actress (in Junior Rusalka); Pat Kuzyk, architect; and Dr. Brian Lukie, sports medicine specialist.

In their other lives, present and past dancers are students, as well as dentists, doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers, among other professions. Their age range is approximately 18 to 30.

Rusalka does not perform just for Ukrainians. The ensemble has represented Winnipeg, Manitoba and Canada at national and international events, and has performed around the world. They have danced for the pope, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, and were the first amateur troupe to perform with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Joining Rusalka in their 40th anniversary concert were: the Hoosli Male Chorus, Junior Rusalka, the Sirko Kozaks and the Musical Knights Orchestra. A special treat was the Povnorotti Chorus, founded by Taras Luchak, himself an alumnus. The program notes offered: "A safe haven for old Rusalka dancers who can't dance anymore, Povnorotti is a loose collection of singers who gather together to do special appearances with Rusalka ... Just over half of the current group is Rusalka alumni. When you're done dancing, you sing. In the good old days, the dancers used to sing, especially on the bus trips. For some, the ride on the Rusalka bus has never ended."

Members of the ensemble have studied in Ukraine with Veriovka and other professional groups. I have observed that often there is little difference between the precision and execution of the dance steps by Rusalka and the Ukrainian professional dancers. But most often there is more spirit, enthusiasm, and plain old joy in the Canadians' performances. They are not professional and dance just for the love of it, really letting go and putting their whole beings into their dances.

While much can be learned from the ancestral land, some things are better left aside. In the past, especially in the 1970-1980s, the authenticity of some Ukrainian stage folk costumes was truly questionable. Many of the ensembles in Canada had the more traditional stage costumes. Now if only Rusalka and the other Canadian groups would forget the women's yelps that, for some reason, choreographers in Ukraine started including in almost every dance. The high-pitched squeals just do not belong.

After a short rest, the Rusalka dancers will be back at the UNF Hall on Main Street, warming up and practicing for their next series of tours and concerts. May they dance for many years to come.

Mnohaya Lita, Rusalko!

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The Rusalka webpage at www.rusalka.mb.ca includes the group's history, news, photographs, links to other groups and a guestbook.

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