Folk Ensemble Dances its Way to Singletary

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 19, 2009) - Representing the wisdom of its people, as well as the folk tradition of humor and optimism, the Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company will bring its bright colors to the Singletary Center for the Arts (SCFA). Virsky will take the Singletary stage at 7:30pm Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the SCFA Concert Hall.

The ensemble's diverse concert programs, presenting the charm of Ukrainian folk dancing and the wealth of its traditions, have been warmly received by audiences all over the world. The history of the ensemble goes back to 1937 when Pavlo Virsky and Mykola Bolotov, well-known Ukrainian ballet-masters, assembled a group of folk dancers.

Virsky’s efforts at founding a folk dance ensemble were rewarded in 1940, when his group was recognized as Ukraine’s Song and Dance Company and which today carries his name. Trained as a ballet dancer, Virsky performed as a soloist with a number of theatres in the Soviet Union, where he also staged classical ballets such as Marius Petipa’s "Swan Lake," "Don Quixote" and "Raymonda."

Like his colleague, Bolotov, Virsky was fascinated with folk dancing, which he believed to portray a people’s culture and soul. During World War II, his company performed for the soldiers at the front, and the group was accorded further recognition in connection with the Decade of Ukrainian Art and Literature in Moscow in 1951. Virsky would go on to receive a number of honors prior to his death in 1975.

Myroslav Vantukh, Virsky’s disciple and an expert in folk traditions and ethnography, has been in charge of the ensemble since 1980. His main objective and continuing creative quest is the careful preservation and development of folk choreographic art. The group's continued work has been acknowledged by the foreign press for high artistic and professional qualities.
 

The Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company, under the direction of Vantukh, continues to create new dances and shares with audiences around the world more about the Ukraine.

Tickets for this event are based on seating location and range from $32 to $25. A processing fee will be added upon completion of transaction. Tickets can be purchased through the Singletary Center Ticket Office at (859) 257-4929, online at www.singletarytickets.com, or in person at the Ticket Office.