UKELODEON: For The Next Generation (06/13/04)

UKELODEON

For The Next Generation

Cheremosh dancers win multiple awards

by Yuri Ripeckyj

MINNEAPOLIS - Here on Friday evenings during the school year, a group of 25 dedicated 6- to 17-year-olds get together to practice Ukrainian folk dance steps. Some are brand new to this tradition, while others have been dancing for years. All work hard to improve their style under the watchful eye of their instructor, Ken Matlashevsky.

On April 16, Mr. Matlashevsky took the group to his native Manitoba, for the biennial Brandon Troyanda Ukrainian Dance competition. There the members of the Minneapolis group, Cheremosh, had a chance to meet hundreds of other children from Canada and the United States who also celebrate their heritage by practicing Ukrainian folk dancing.

Dancers representing 25 different groups took part in the exciting and colorful three-day event. The adjudicator for this competition was Yuriy Sholdra, the artistic director for the Poltava School of Ukrainian Performing Arts in Regina, Saskatchewan. Mr. Sholdra obtained his degree in choreography at the Lviv National Institute of Choreographic Art in 2001.

Dancers delighted the audience with their best performances on the main stage at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium. Mr. Sholdra carefully analyzed and critiqued the style, technique and presentation of each group.

After three days of competition the Cheremosh Dance group was honored with nine gold medals, nine silver medals and four bronze medals, plus the Best Solo Performance for a male aged 12 and under. A tired but proud group of Ukrainian American children boarded the bus that Sunday afternoon for the long ride home to Minnesota.

On Sunday afternoon, May 23, the audience from the greater Minneapolis area had the opportunity to see the award-winning dancers at the Ukrainian Event Center in northeast Minneapolis. The end-of-the-season concert highlighted the choreography of Mr. Matlashevsky and the commitment and skills of the dancers. Pride and satisfaction could be seen on the children's faces at the final curtain call.

Postava troupe helps CCRF

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - Members of the Postava Dance Ensemble, based in New Britain, Conn., on May 11 presented a check for $1,000 to the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund from the proceeds from a zabava (dance) they recently organized in their city. The director of the ensemble, Christopher Iwanik, stated, "We're proud to support an organization like the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund that has delivered so much life-saving equipment and medical aid to children's hospitals and orphanages in Ukraine." Seen in the photo above are: (first row) Janelle Colburn, Patricia Platosz, Lisa Morris, Natalie Curkendall, Diane Platosz, Laura Saccente, (second row) Paul Saccente, Bohdan Platosz, Mark Melnyk, Keith Snyder, Joanne Platosz, William Platosz, Steven Melnyk, (third row) Jamie Morris, Ralph Kogan, Christopher Iwanik, Stephen Pawlak and Christopher Curkendall.

Mishanyna

To solve this month's Mishanyna, find the words on the list below in the Mishanyna grid. All the words below are Ukrainian words for various types of ships. (The English word is given in parentheses.) Source: Ukrainian-American Nautical Dictionary, 1953.

baydachok (cutter)
baydak (ketch)
barka (bark)
dushohubka (dinghy)
honchak (clipper)
kanoyka (canoe)
kayuk (yawl)
kreyser (cruiser)
kryholam (icebreaker)
nyschivnyk (destroyer)
paroplav (steamer)
porom (ferry)
shalanda (scow)
shkuna (schooner)
tiahun (tugboat)
vitrylnyk (sailboat)
vymitach (minesweeper)
yakhta (yacht)

OUR NEXT ISSUE: UKELODEON is published on the second Sunday of each month. To make it into our next issue, dated July 11, please send in your materials by July 2.

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