Kazka Ukrainian Folk Ensemble
Celebrate 25 Years of Song and Dance
Twenty five years ago, four young friends with a love of all things Ukrainian banded together to form the Kazka Ukrainian Folk Ensemble. Incorporated in Schuylkill County in 1987 Kazka (which means folktale in Ukrainian) is dedicated to the preservation and performance of the songs and folk dances brought to the anthracite coal regions by the Ukrainian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th century. The founding members include the vocal quartet of Joseph Zucofski, Michael Duda, Sandra Minarchik Duda and Paula Duda Holoviak. Kazka’s vocal and instrumental repertoire encompasses traditional folk songs and modern Ukrainian composers as well as folk carols and liturgical selections. Kazka has produced three recordings including Kazka, Timeless Traditions and God Sees All featuring Ukrainian Christmas music.
The ensemble also currently has over twenty young dancers who perform choreography from the Hutsul, Transcarpathian, Lemko, Boyko, and Poltava regions of Ukraine. Numerous talented individuals have contributed choreography to the group including Mykola Bojczuk and Helena Kozak (Philadelphia), Ken Rylance (Canda), and David Woznak (Cleveland) The ensemble’s current choreography is Andrij Dobriansky of New York City. Andrij has studied with the renowned Roma Pryma-Bohachevska and has been named as a Master Traditional Artist by the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts.
Kazka has received numerous accolades and awards and has traveled the globe. Kazka has received grants from the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts, the Schuylkill County Council for the Arts and the Institute for Cultural Partnerships. Currently, Kazka is on the roster for the Commonwealth Speakers program sponsored by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council. Kazka has performed throughout Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland as well as at Disney World in Florida. In 1992, Kazka performed in three Ukrainian cities as part of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Ukrainian emigration to the United States.
Kazka will mark this 25
th anniversary celebration at the Ukrainian Festival at the Ukrainian Homestead in Lehighton, Pennsylvania on Saturday, August 18 and Sunday, August 19.
The group will perform at the festival shows and will host a zabava (dance) open to the public at 8 PM on Saturday evening with music by Walter Syzonenko.
All members past and present are invited to attend, to reminisce and to view picture from the past twenty five years.
For more information on the festival reunion, visit
www.kazkaensemble.org or
www.ukrhomestead.com.
Kazka looks forward to many more years of song and dance. Dance rehearsals are held throughout the summer months on Wednesdays at 6:30 at the Ukrainian Homestead. New dancers are always welcome. Come and join the tradition.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
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Photo credit: Kathleen Park
Kazka performing at Ukrainian Seminary Day
in Minersville, July 29, 2012.
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Photo credit: Kathleen Park
Kazka singing at Ukrainian Seminary Day 2012
Michael Duda, Sandra Duda, Paula Holoviak,
Joseph Zucofski (left to right)
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