Episodes
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Brian Cherwick is an absolute legend — the musician, one of the talented members of The Kubasonics, is an encyclopedia of knowledge when it comes to Ukrainian music and traditions. In this episode, he shares how he got to where he is today, what it was like learning from musical masters in Ukraine, the inspiration behind what he does, and interesting tidbits about traditional Ukrainian instruments.
What Else You’ll Hear
- Stories from his time living in Ukraine
- How he keeps learning, even after all these years
- Drymba tips and tricks
- A very special mini performance
Resources
- Follow The Kubasonis on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Music
- Thank you to Brian for playing us a couple tunes!
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You’re in for a real treat with two out of three Picklyk siblings on this episode of Vsi! Darian Picklyk shares his story on how he made his way from the Ukrainian dance studio to the world stage of volleyball — the former University of Winnipeg player now plays for the Canadian national men’s volleyball team. He offer lots of tips for dancers on how to balance multiple activities while showing up as your best self.
What Else You’ll Hear
- Why athletes make amazing dancers, and vice versa
- The benefits of playing multiple sports
- Darian’s top wellness tips
- How to think like an athlete
- Some nicknames to call Darian if you’re lucky enough to meet (or know) him
Resources
- Follow Darian’s life on Instagram
- Stay up to date with Darian’s volleyball journey through Volleyball Canada (Facebook, Instagram)
- See when Darian hits the stage next with Selo Ukrainian Dancers (Facebook, Instagram)
Music
- Thank you to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
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Missing episodes?
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Gerdan Theatre, a group from Chernivtsi, Ukraine, toured Canada in February and March of 2024. They performed at more than 18 shows (!!!) during their time in Canada, and we had the chance to chat with two of their members, Yulia and Anton, when they were in Winnipeg to get a behind-the-scenes look at the theatre group.
What Else You’ll Hear
- The meaning behind Gerdan Theatre’s name
- The structure of Gerdan and its school
- Where Gerdan learned the songs and traditions it performs and shares
- What it means to Yulia and Anton to be a part of this tour and to perform with Gerdan
Resources
- Follow Gerdan Theatre on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Music
- Thank you to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
- You’ll also hear a snippet from Gerdan Theatre’s show in Winnipeg!
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Zrada isn’t your typical Ukrainian band. While they merge modern music with Ukrainian folk music, the sound is all their own. The Winnipeg-based band describes their music the best: “Ancestral sounds explode within an amplified soundscape full of joy, anger, melancholy, and madness.”
We talked with Andriy Michalchyshyn from Zrada. He plays trumpet and guitar and sings vocals for the band, plus writes a lot of their music. He joined us to talk about Zrada’s latest release, The Old Ways.
What Else You’ll Hear
- Zrada’s origin story, what inspired the band’s all-their-own sound, and how the band has evolved
- The inspiration behind songs and how the band writes in the style of traditional folk songs yet puts it to modern music
- How you can make Ukrainian folklore your own
- What keeps the band motivated to celebrate Ukrainian culture
- A sneak peek at one of their newest songs
Resources
- Listen to The Old Ways: Spotify, Bandcamp
- Stay up to date with Zrada: Instagram, Facebook, Website
- Buy tickets to Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg on February 23 to see Zrada perform at the event’s first-ever Ukrainian night!
- Check out more work by Mariya Khymynets, the artist who did the cover art for The Old Ways
Music
- A big thanks to Zrada for letting us use “Wedding,” off of The Old Ways, as Vsi’s intro song this episode!
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The National Ballet of Ukraine brought their show Nadiya (Hope) to Canada to kick off 2024. In addition to supporting the arts scene in Ukraine and the esteemed dancers, the tour is raising money for aid in Ukraine, thanks to a partnership between Humanite Peace Collective and the Olena Zelenska Foundation. In this episode, we talk with David Meffe, head of development of Humanite, about what this tour means to the dancers and to Ukraine.
What Else You’ll Hear
- How the full-scale invasion of Ukraine affected the National Ballet of Ukraine
- Where money raised from Nadiya will go
- Insight into the National Ballet of Ukraine’s through Canada
Resources
- Learn more about the National Ballet of Ukraine (website, Instagram, Facebook)
- Learn more about Humanite Peace Collective (website, Instagram)
- Follow Vsi on Instagram and Facebook
Music
- Thank you to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
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Vsi co-host Hannah got married in September and learned a lot about various Ukrainian wedding traditions, incorporating many of them into her wedding day, and she wants to share them with you! Here’s your guide to the Ukrainian culture-inspired wedding of your dreams.
What Else You’ll Hear
- Ukrainian wedding customs and how Hannah personalized them to her celebration
- How to make outdated customs modern and fit your big day
- How Hannah and her husband, Yulian, unknowingly practised Ukrainian wedding traditions years before they got married
Resources
- Follow Hannah on Instagram and ask her for more wedding insight
- Follow Vsi on Instagram and Facebook
Music
- Thank you to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
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Two top-notch Ukrainian dance ensembles in Canada are putting on a joint show this September. Saskatoon’s Pavlychenko Folklorique Ensemble (PFE) and Edmonton’s Volya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble’s Душа Народу (Dusha Narodu) — The Spirit of a Nation. The show highlights the foundation of Kyiv to how Ukrainian culture took root in Canada to what we understand Ukrainian traditions to be today.
We talked with dancers Odessa Bahri from Volya and Natalya Shevchuk from PFE to learn more about the show.
What Else You’ll Hear
- What dances will be debuted in the show
- The importance of putting on a production like this
- How dance groups can form connections to collaborate
- Why Natalya and Odessa have to stay away from fires when they wear their matching jackets
Resources
- Purchase tickets for the Edmonton show (September 9) or Saskatoon show (September 16)
- Follow PFE on Instagram and Facebook
- Follow Volya on Instagram and Facebook
- Follow Vsi on Instagram and Facebook
Music
- Thank you to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
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russia’s full-scale invasion has been going on for one year. We love Ukraine, we are proud of her and her people, and it hurts our hearts to see russia’s actions. We asked a few Ukrainians and those in the Ukrainian diaspora to write love letters to Ukraine to show our support and spread our collective love for Ukraine.
What Else You’ll Hear
- Why writing a love letter together helped us process our emotions
- Letters from special guests Eva van Rensburg, Carson McLean, and Liudmyla Tereshchenko
- An official call-out for you all to write your own love letters
Resources
- Follow Vsi on Instagram and Facebook
- Watch our love letter video
Music
- Thank you to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
- And thanks to Bedzvin for letting us use “Broken Bow” to play under the love letters. Follow him on Instagram to learn about and support his efforts that provide aid to Ukraine.
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While superstitions and folk beliefs are ancient customs, people still practise them today. It could be because they truly believe bad luck will come if they don’t follow them, or it might just be that it’s something passed down to them so it’s become second nature. When we were in Ukraine, superstitions became ingrained in us. And we became some pretty lucky folks.
We want to share this luck with you. In this episode, Hannah and Kaitlin will highlight some standout Ukrainian superstitions and tell stories to back them up.
What Else You’ll Hear
- Superstitions around the home, for your love life, for dancers, to practise when entertaining, and to follow while enjoying refreshments
- Some of the most memorable birthday celebrations Hannah and Kaitlin attended in Ukraine
- A superstition Hannah, Kaitlin, and their friends made up around their matching tattoos
- A cautionary tale of when Hannah believed a superstition that wasn’t actually a superstition
- A shoutout to the Vegreville Pysanka Festival, one of our favourite Ukrainian festivals!
Resources
- Follow Vsi on Instagram and Facebook
Music
- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
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Kaitlin released an updated edition of her book Planted: Stories From Manitoba’s Natural World, with proceeds supporting humanitarian aid in Ukraine. In this episode, Hannah talks with Kaitlin about the inspiration behind the book, her connection to nature, and how Kaitlin’s Ukrainian heritage has shaped her writing and life.
What Else You’ll Hear
- An overview of what you’ll read in Planted
- What’s been updated since Kaitlin released the first edition five years ago
- Hannah’s takeaways from the book
- Kaitlin’s favourite nature memory from Ukraine
- What organizations Planted proceeds are supporting
Resources
- Purchase Planted via e-transfer or by credit card
- Organizations Planted is supporting (with more to come!): Ukrainian Patriot, Cobblestone Freeway Foundation, Lifeline Ukraine, Come Back Alive
- Follow Vsi on Instagram and Facebook
Music
- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
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After a break in performances because of the pandemic, Ukrainian dance groups are back on stage. One of those groups is Canada’s Ukrainian Shumka Dancers from Edmonton. The company is touring Canada and made a stop in Winnipeg, where we had a chance to attend a dance workshop, see the elaborate sets and costumes up close backstage, and talk with Shumka dancer Caitlin Kaminsky and Shumka Senior Creative Director Les Sereda.
What Else You’ll Hear
- What it’s like dancing with Shumka
- The importance of celebrating Ukrainian culture during times of war
- What to expect in the show: Mosquito’s Wedding (All You Need is Love), Promised Land, My Yeh (We Are), Echoes of Hopak
- What goes into putting on such an impressive production
- The things that stood out most to us about the show
- Some tips to stay motivated as a Ukrainian dancer or instructor
- When Shumka will be coming to a city near you
Resources
- Head to Shumka’s website to find out when the company will perform near you
- Follow Shumka on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
- Follow Vsi on Instagram and Facebook
Music
- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
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russia’s war against Ukraine is ongoing. The war has brought a rollercoaster of emotions for many. We’ve been frustrated, annoyed, angry, heartbroken, sad. And in other moments we’ve felt hopeful, immense pride and patriotism, and a strong love for Ukraine.
Among many standing up for Ukraine, plenty of creatives have been sharing their heart, sharing news, and sharing their support for Ukraine. One of these artists is Maarit Tymchyshyn, a Ukrainian-Canadian artist working in Winnipeg. She’s spent time living, studying, and working in Ukraine and a lot of her work as an artist is influenced by her Ukrainian heritage.
Shortly after russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine started, Maarit posted a personal essay called “Too Foreign For Home” on her website. It’s a really powerful piece, and so much of it resonated with us, so we wanted to share it with our audience. In this episode, Maarit shares her essay.
What Else You’ll Hear
- Maarit’s new project Ukrainadian, a platform for Ukraine to be heard through stories, arts, food, and music
- An overview of Ukraine’s history
- Words from Maarit that may capture some of the emotions and feelings that have come up for you during russia’s full invasion of Ukraine
Resources
- “Too Foreign For Home,” by Maarit Tymchyshyn
- Ukrainadian’s website
- Maarit’s Instagram
Music
- Thank you to Nina Semchyshyn for humming and singing “Oy u luzi chervona kalyna,” written by Stepan Charnetsky
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This is a heavy time for Ukraine. russia launched an unprovoked, full-scale war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
It’s heartbreaking to see this destruction. Like a lot of people, we have been experiencing so many emotions and feelings, including feeling helpless. In this episode, find out ways you can support Ukraine no matter where you are.
We talk with Vince Rees of Cobblestone Freeway and Zoya Kostetsky of Prairie Clay to hear about their fundraising efforts. We also share some ways you can support Ukraine even if you aren’t able to donate money right now.
What Else You’ll Hear
- How the Cobblestone Freeway Foundation is providing aid to Ukrainians
- How Zoya Kostetsky raised tens of thousands of dollars for Ukraine
- Stories of people in Ukraine
Resources
- Cobblestone Freeway Foundation: website, Facebook, Instagram
- Cobblestone Freeway Tours: website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
- Ukrainian Dance World: website, Facebook, Instagram
- Prairie Clay: Instagram, Facebook, Etsy
- Timothy Snyder: Substack, Twitter
Music
- Thank you to Nina Semchyshyn for humming and singing “Oy u luzi chervona kalyna,” written by Stepan Charnetsky
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Thanks to WikiSpiv and its founder Danylo (Daniel) Centore, Ukrainian folk songs will live on as long as the internet exists. WikiSpiv is a collaborative living songbook website that documents the history of Ukrainian folk songs. Anyone can add their knowledge to the site, though Danylo has done the bulk of the work, including extensive research to find the origin of songs,
What Else You’ll Hear
- How WikiSpiv tracks the evolution of language
- Fun Ukrainglish phrases from common zabava songs
- Words of wisdom for others working on side projects
- How you can help document Ukrainian folk songs
Resources
- WikiSpiv website and Facebook page
- Danylo’s favourite Ukrainian song: lyrics and music
- Help Danylo figure out who wrote the song “Vohov.” Here are the lyrics!
- Performances by Danylo: fundraiser for Barvinok Ukrainian Dance Ensemble in Seattle and Christmas fundraiser for Help us Help
- Danylo’s Spotify playlists: Hey, Zabava and Best of Barabolya
- ЛГБТ+ Українська Діаспора, a safe space created on Slack.com for LGBTQPIA+ Ukrainians and Allies in North America to connect with each other. This is another project that Danylo helps out with.
Music
- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
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Alina Kuzma is a fourth-generation bandurist, a.k.a. someone who plays the bandura, an instrument sometimes said to embody the “voice and soul of Ukraine.” Alina is a co-founder of the Women’s Bandurist Ensemble of North America and a member of Korinya Folk Band. The bandura has shaped her life in many ways — in all ways, really. Alina says she wouldn’t exist if not for this instrument. In this episode, Vsi listeners are treated to a performance by Alina!
What Else You’ll Hear
- How Alina merges traditional music with modern times
- How you can start learning the bandura yourself
- The phenomenon of the bandura camp experience
- How the bandura has become a passport for Alina
- The different types of the bandura
- “A little bit of angry feminism”
Resources
- Women’s Bandurist Ensemble of North America: YouTube, Facebook, Website, Contact Page
- Korinya Folk Band: Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, Website
- Documentary about Ukrainian musicians
Music
- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
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We’re best friends, and we want you to be our best friend, too. We thought it’s about time you really get to know us — why we love celebrating Ukrainian dance and culture, what inspires us in life, and the question you’ve all been wondering: if we owned a stall at a market in Ukraine, which stall would it be?
What Else You’ll Hear
- What a reverse interview is — now this is something you do not learn in journalism school
- How living in Ukraine changed us
- Analogies. Lots of analogies.
- Yet another plea for you to write us a review on your favourite podcast platform — when you do, tell us your mailing address, and we’ll send you a note in appreciation!
Resources
- Come say hi on Instagram: @hanpicklyk and @kaitlinvitt
- And follow Vsi on Instagram (@vsi.ukr) and Facebook (@vsi.ukr)
Music
- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
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Lana Nicole Niland, a Canadian living in Ukraine and a former Virsky dancer, is a business owner, choreographer, magazine editor, and a whole lot of other things. Her love for Ukrainian dance shaped her life in ways she couldn’t ever imagine. Prepare to be inspired to nurture and follow your dreams!
What Else You’ll Hear
- How she went from dancing in Saskatoon to dancing in Kyiv
- The difference between folk dance in Ukraine and Canada
- What inspired Lana to launch her business Postmark Ukraine
Resources
- Postmark Ukraine website, Instagram, and Facebook
- What’s On Kyiv website, Instagram, and Facebook
- Rodovid Academy of Ukrainian Dance website, Instagram, and Facebook
- Virsky Ensemble
- Pavlychenko Folklorique Ensemble
Music
- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
Prefer the written word? Check out our blog post version of this episode at vsi-ukr.com/blog/lananicoleniland.
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It’s time to sum up the rest of our year in Ukraine! The final two cities we trained in were Lutsk and Poltava. In this episode, we relate our time with the Volyn and Poltava state ensembles to cooking borsch, the classic Ukrainian dish.
What Else You’ll Hear
- How rehearsals were set up in each city
- What life was like outside of the studio
- The only inspirational quote you’ll ever need to know in life
Resources
- Volyn ensemble on Facebook
Music
- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
Prefer the written word? Check out our blog post version of this episode at vsi-ukr.com/blog/lutskpoltava.
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Meditation is for everyone, dancers included. It’s a way to tend to your nervous system and self-regulate and just be. On this episode, Sam Squire shares the benefits of meditation and leads listeners through a 12-minute mindfulness meditation.
What Else You’ll Hear
- Why meditation has been one of the few consistent things in our lives lately
- Tips on how to set yourself up for meditation
- How you can download this mindfulness meditation so you can practice whenever you please
Resources
- Sam Squire’s website
- Sam Squire’s Instagram
Music
- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
Prefer the written word? Check out our blog post version of this episode at vsi-ukr.com/blog/meditation.
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Symbolism in Ukrainian culture is everywhere, featured on the clothes we wear, the decorations in our homes, and even the tattoos on our bodies — for some of us, at least! On this episode, you’ll hear from a couple extra special guests — Kaitlyn and Natalya — who share with us not only a mutual love for Ukrainian dance and culture but also matching tattoos.
What Else You’ll Hear
- The meanings behind shapes and colours in Ukrainian designs
- A breakdown of our matching tattoo design and how there is meaning behind every line
- Banter between four BFFs who love Ukrainian dance and culture as much as you do
Resources
- Pysanky.info
- Euromaidan Press
- Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine
Music
- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song
Prefer the written word? Check out our blog post version of this episode at vsi-ukr.com/blog/tattoo.
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