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Our Recent News |
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February 2011
Yavir Opens Youth Festival of Ukrainian Dance with new and original choreography!
Congratulations to all the dancers, volunteers, and instructors for a successful show at the Living Arts Centre on February 27! Yavir opened the show with a specially choreographed Pryvit
(Welcome Dance) followed by performances from Yavir School's ensembles, and culminating in a 92-person Hopak!
Special thanks to Krista Samborsky for her talent and creativity in co-ordinating the performance.
Congratulations as well to the other groups who wowed the audience and proved to us all that Ukrainian dance is alive and well in the Greater Toronto Area!
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June 2010
Year End Concert and Family Zabava Show Yavir Spirit!
What a fabulous year-end concert! Congratulations to all the dancers, volunteers, and instructors for a successful show! See the image gallery and go to the 48th Annual Yavir Concert on Youtube! Congratulations as well to all those who helped to make the Yavir Family Zabava (Dance) a huge success. Special thanks to the Samborsky Family, Adrian Rotko, Amanda Maternicki, John Popowycz, Roksoliana Luciw, Natalie Chemij and of course the fabulous musicians of Zirka! See highlights on YouTube:
Family Zabava
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January 2010
Mid-Year Concert Features New Choreography and Polished Performance
Congratulations to all dancers on an impressive Mid-Year Concert! Order your group photos in the the school office. Photographs from our 2008/2009 year-end concert can still be ordered at Pickart Photography along with DVDs.
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September 2009
St. Demetrius Jubilee Grant Assists Artistic Director Krista Samborsky's Participation in Dance Workshop
Artistic Director Krista Samborsky participated in the prestigious International Summer School of Ukrainian Dance in Kiev. The two week session presented a wonderful opportunity to study the following disciplines under the guidance of Professor S.L. Zubatov: Ukrainian folk dance, technique of Ukrainian female and male folk dance, workshops on stage combinations and mastering the character dance of various regions of Ukraine, barre and centre exercises, workshops on scenes and development of choreography, and training for instructors including the theory and practice of teaching Ukrainian dance. We look forward to Krista's sharing her new knowledge with the faculty and dancers. We thank St. Demetrius Ukrainian Catholic Church for the Jubilee Grant that assisted with this project.
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June 2009
Taras Shevchenko Foundation Grant Supports Yavir Faculty Training
Congratulations to all dancers on a wonderful 47th Annual Concert! Photographs can be viewed and ordered at Pickart Photography along with DVDs.
The Yavir School of Ukrainian Dance is extremely pleased to have received a grant from the Taras Shevchenko Foundation for
training workshops and certification of Yavir instructors in the Syllabus for Ukrainian Dance; and choreography workshops with guest choreographers for
instructors and students. We welcomed Roman Lewkowicz, artistic director of the Obrij Ensemble in New York, and a specialist in dances of Zakarpattja after having studied in the region.Yavir participated in a workshop March 7-8, 2009. Plans are underway for other workshops in the 2009/10 dance season! Many thanks to the Taras Shevchenko Foundation for this very generous grant.
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October 2008
Yavir Instructors Complete Intensive Shumka Curriculum Training
Yavir Dance Faculty has just completed intensive training in Tier 1 of the Shumka Syllabus for Ukrainian Dance. This training program combines dance disciplines of Ukrainian character and ballet, reflecting the ideals of Shumka. Master instructor Doug Rachinsky from Edmonton conducted the course and examined the instructors at the culmination of the course. Our dance faculty will continue to work with the Syllabus to foster solid technique and safe practices for all our dancers.”
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September 2008
Yavir's Success in Ukraine
Yavir Ensemble Dancers have returned from their exciting tour of Ukraine. Here's just a sample on their first performance in Kolomeja “Today's concert was great. The place was absolutely packed. They were turning people away. Yavir danced their hearts out and the audience gave them thundering applause, including a standing ovation. The hall was a classic old concert hall: really a stunning location and a heart-stopping performance. Several of the dancers were interviewed by the media filmed for the news. Afterwards they were invited by some local youth to a Zabava. They're having a ball.”
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August 2008
Yavir Ukraine Tour 2008!
Yavir Ensemble Dancers are embarking on their Ukraine Tour 2008 on August 4th. Their adventure includes three dance workshops, at least four concerts, a special visit to Dzeherlo Orphanage to meet the children, and sightseeing throughout Western Ukraine.
They'll participate in dance Workshops in Kolomyia, Khmelnytsky and Kyiv, while concerts are scheduled for Volochysk (Aug 14), Ternopil (Aug 17), Lutsk (Aug 18), and Kyiv (Aug 23). After working hard at fundraising for both the tour and for the orphanage, and practising for their concerts, the dancers are
ready to see where their ancestors came from - many for the first time. Most of the dancers are third, fourth and fifth generation Canadians who continue to take pride in their heritage. Bon voyage Yavir! Registration for the 2008-9 dance season will take place on Sept. 8,9,10,11 from 6-8 pm. See registration information for details.
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March 2008
Artistic Director leaves on a high note!
Paul Olijnyk, our current Artistic Director, will be leaving us at the end of this dance season to pursue a Masters Degree in Folk Dance at the University of Alberta Graduate Program in Ukrainian Folklore. We wholeheartedly congratulate Paul on his acceptance to this prestigious program,
while lamenting his departure from our school. Paul’s resignation letter states: “My decision to accept has been made with much personal deliberation and has not been an easy one…Over the past four dance seasons I have invested much of myself into the school, and in turn, Yavir has given much back to me.
The work has been extremely rewarding and could not have been successful without the backing of Fr. John, the St. Demetrius Community, the parent committee, and volunteers.” All the best in your studies, Paul!
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Archived News |
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March 2008
Artistic Director Search is on
Paul Olijnyk has spent the last four dance seasons building a strong repertoire and extending the training of our talented instructors, most of whom will be continuing with the school in the 2008/9 season. He has already enthusiastically agreed to return for choreographic and technical workshops pending his availability.
Work on selecting a new artistic director has already begun. The following steps have already been undertaken thus far:
1. Enlisting the support of Paul Olijnyk to find a replacement
2. Enlisting the support of senior dance instructors to find a replacement
3. Notifying dance contacts in the Ukrainian dance community
4. Developing an ad for placement in selected Ukrainian media
5. Initiating a search committee
Any interested candidates should contact the school.
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January 2008
Adult Classes and Rallying Alumni
We're halfway through our dance season. See our schedule for more details on this season's events.
Yavir Ukrainian Dance Ensemble always welcomes new dancers and is continuing its ADULT class in the new year. New dancers are welcome to participate. Call the school office at 416-243-3072 for details.
Our Artistic Director, Paul Olijnyk, visited Ukraine in December. He participated in dance workshops, and prepared the way for our exciting Summer 2008 tour.
Following our 45th Anniversary Gala, we continue to collect contact information of Yavir Alumni, send your email and address to info@yavir.ca and check our Yavir Alumni Page to make sure your name is listed.
See photos of Yavir's 45th Anniversary Concert.
June 2007
Yavir School & Ensemble Celebrate 45 Years of Dance
On April 21st, the Yavir School of Ukrainian Dance attracted over 300 current dancers, alumni and volunteers to celebrate 45 years of continuous Ukrainian dance with its “Boots and Bubbly Gala Fundraising Event”. Recognizing previous artistic directors, costume co-ordinators, volunteers, and dancers from each decade, the event featured music by the New Villagers, a performance by the Yavir Ensemble, a raffle and silent auction, and a 45-minute Kolomejka – an impromptu circle dance where soloists showed off their leaps, spins and combinations.
Yavir School of Ukrainian Dance is one of the oldest continuously running Ukrainian dance schools in North America, and currently has over 200 dancers. Growing from its humble roots in the basement of Slava and Myron Pastyr in 1962, the school’s studio now runs classes six days per week for 3 year olds and up, and has added girls’ technique, boys’ kozak training, and adult classes. It has also hosted “Zabava 101” (social dancing) classes that were filled to capacity.
Over the years the ensemble has performed nearby at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, the Hummingbird Centre and the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto, and in far-off performances in Mexico, U.S.A., Belgium, and Ukraine.
Much of the ensemble and school’s success can be attributed to the ongoing support from St. Demetrius Ukrainian Catholic Church in Etobicoke, and its pastor Father John Tataryn. Member of Parliament, Borys Wrzesnewskyj who attended the Gala festivities with his wife Lina Fedko, congratulated Yavir and paid tribute to Father John’s support of culture at St. Demetrius.
The other main ingredient to the school’s current success is the energy and enthusiasm of Artistic Director, Paul Olijnyk, a former Shumka dancer, a dance major at York University, a participant in numerous technique and choreographic workshops in Ukraine, and a frequent dance festival adjudicator. He is committed to making Ukrainian dance not only an artistic and cultural expression, but also just plain fun.
Yavir topped off its anniversary year with a sold-out year-end concert on May 12th at the St. Joseph’s Michael Power High School. Watch for Yavir Ensemble this summer in London, Ontario at the Ukrainian Festival; in New York State at the Lemko Vatra; at the Ukrainian Festival in Lehighton, Pennsylvania; and the Bloor West Festival at Harbourfront in Toronto. Yavir and Kaniv Ensembles will be in Ukraine in the summer of 2008.
Yavir always welcomes new dancers – so spin fast, jump high – catch the spirit of Ukrainian dance at Yavir. In preparation for its 50th Anniversary, Yavir invites alumni to connect by calling or emailing. For more information, call 416-243-3072, email info@yavir.ca, or visit www.yavir.ca.
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September 2006
Yavir Summer Performances Impress Spectators
Yee photos of our recent Spring Concert at PickArtPhoto.com!
Yavir Ukrainian Dance Ensemble wowed spectators at a number of summer performances. Artistic Director, Paul Olijnyk, led the dancers to the Barvinok Festival in London, Ont., the Bloor West Festival in Toronto, Ont. and the Soyuzivka Festival in Kerhonkson, NY. Mr. Olijnyk also spent three weeks in Ukraine studying choreography and technique which he is now sharing with the school.
Yavir School of Ukrainian Dance is also running "Zabava 101" classes for teens 13-18. With nearly 40 participants signed up over the 5-week program, there will be plenty of skilled dancers on the dance floor at Malanka (New Year's) in January!
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May 2006
Successful 2005/6 Dance Season
Yavir School of Ukrainian Dance and Yavir Ensemble have had a busy 2005/6 season with performances at a variety of community events, weddings and other concerts. Artistic Director, Paul Olijnyk says he will continue to look for performance opportunities for the ensembles over the coming season.
Wardrobe mistress Lubomyra Tomchak has been working hard on sewing and assembling new costumes for some of the ensembles. They will make their debut on May 28, 2006 at the Annual Spring Concert at Michael Power High School.
In order to prepare for the summer performances, Yavir Ensemble will practise throughout the summer culminating in its performance at the Soyuzivka Festival in Kerhonkson, NY on the Labour Day weekend. If you can't make it to Soyuzivka, support Yavir and Cheremosh at the preview evening on August 31, 7:30 pm at the St. Demetrius Auditorium.
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September 2005
Busy Performance Schedule for 2006
Yavir Ukrainian Dance Ensemble welcomes new dancers and is excited about its busy performance schedule in 2006.
Artistic Director, Paul Olijnyk, revealed details of his plans for the 2005/6 season. For both the ensembles and the school, his signature thematic pieces will augment folkloric choreography. "I want to ensure the dancers have fun while they experience our culture," he said. "Thematic pieces provide the opportunity for dancers to show off not only their technical advancements, but also to develop their dramatic capabilities. This will help them in other aspects of their future careers and lives."
Mr. Olijnyk spent part of the summer of 2005 studying dance at the Institute of Culture and Art in Kyiv under Professor S.L. Zubatov, and at the Studio Virsky. He will share his newest learnings with the dancers of the ensembles and the school over the season.
Other highlights of the 2005/6 season will include guest artists and choreographers, and a variety of performance opportunities for the ensembles.
Yavir Ensemble performed at the Bloor West Ukrainian Festival in Toronto on August 28, 2005 featuring Yavir women in Hutsulka and Yavir men in the renowned Tambourine Dance. This performance kicks off the exciting 2005/2006 season at the Yavir School of Ukrainian Dance.
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Archived News |
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February 2005
Yavir performs at the Eighth Annual Youth Festival of Ukrainian Dance
More than 90 dancers from Yavir School of Ukrainian Dance performed at the Eighth Annual Youth Festival of Ukrainian Dance on February 12, 2005 at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ont. Yavir dancers from the ensembles Iskra, Kalyna, Kaniv, Cheremosh and the Yavir Ensemble brought dances from a variety of regions and styles to the stage.
Artistic Director, Paul Olijnyk said, "It is a real pleasure to see how much the dancers enjoy performing at this type of venue. The smiles on their faces came from the enjoyment they felt in their hearts. Their passion to perform and represent our culture through dance amazed not only me, but also the 1000 plus people in attendance at the festival. Thank you to all the dancers, instructors, and parent volunteers that made this festival an experience to remember." Paul is also very pleased with the students' technical progress in the five short months he has been with the school. And Yavir Ensemble continues to impress audiences with its precision and passion.
Yavir Ensemble opened with "Pryvit", the Welcome Dance. Kaniv took us to the Bukovynian Region with their spirited dance, while Cheremosh girls brought grace and elegance to the program with "Karichka".
"Hutsulka" performed by Yavir Ensemble women showed the intricate steps of the Hutsul region. Kalyna also performed "Hutsul Montage" from the Hutsul region. Yavir Ensemble's signature "Tambourine Dance" wowed the audience with the male dancers' dexterity and rhythm, while Iskra's dance "Western Whirlwind", was a crowd favourite as the children danced to the song, "You are my Sunshine" sporting straw hats. It is a little known fact that this tune is originally a Ukrainian melody.
Yavir Ensemble closed the program with the traditional "Hopak" showing off the spins and footwork of the female dancers, and the acrobatic prowess of the males of the Ensemble.
Dancers appreciated the opportunity to perform with so many talented Ukrainian dancers from a variety of groups. They're looking forward to upcoming performances scheduled for the spring and summer.
The annual festival features Ukrainian dance schools from the Toronto-Mississauga area. This year the Academy, Barvinok and Ukraina participated as well, each bringing a half hour of dance to the stage.
Yavir School dancers appreciated the opportunity to see performers from other schools, and look forward to future festivals.
A videotape or DVD of the performance is available from the Festival Committee for $25. Visit the Festival web site to order.
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Archived News |
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September 4, 2004
Welcome to our new Artistic Director, Paul Olijnyk!
Welcome to our new Artistic Director, Paul Olijnyk! Paul is a graduate of the Edmonton School of Ballet's Professional Dance Training Program and a certified teacher under the Shumka Syllabus Academy. He has supplemented his dance studies in Ukraine at The National University of Arts and Culture in Kyiv and other dance workshops in Canada and abroad. He is currently completing his Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance and Ukrainian Folklore at York University. Formerly a member of the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, he has been a part of the professional Ukrainian dance circuit performing and touring extensively.
Paul spent two years as Recreation Coordinator for Shumka Summer Dance Camps, programming and leading activities focused on dance and culture. Paul has taught Ukrainian Dance to over 300 students, in eight Ukrainian dance schools in Toronto and throughout the province of Alberta. He has also conceived and choreographed the productions, "Snow White and the Cossacks" and "Mosquito's Wedding", intricately weaving folk dance with folk tales. His dance students have won various gold medals and awards under his instruction and choreography. He has adjudicated dance competitions at Canada's National Ukrainian Festival in Dauphin, Manitoba. Paul's commitment to high technical standards, limitless enthusiasm, and love for Ukrainian culture have made him a well-respected member of the Ukrainian dance community.
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