1264. Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company - Nessebar, Bulgaria

15th July 2011 This semi-professional dance troupe is based in Edmonton, Canada. To us they were the highlight of the European Championship of Folklore which we saw in Nessebar, Bulgaria. They were the only North American group taking part in the competition, which was held in Burgas and Sunny Beach as well as Nessebar. All three sites are popular resorts along the Black Sea. The Cheremosh company is named after a river in western Ukraine. It was formed by Chester and Luba Kuc in 1969. In 2007, Cheremosh toured China with the native American troupe Blackfoot Medicine Speaks. Their current artistic director is Mykola Kanevets, who has worked with Cheremosh since 1991. For more information about this wonderful dance troupe: http://www.youtube.com/user/cheremosh1969#p/u Here is some information about the dances being performed here supplied by a member of the company: 1. Kubans'ky Vyshen'ky (Kuban's Cherries) Kuban is a region in Ukrainian dance which is just beginning to become popular with groups now. The choreographer for all the dances (Mykola Kanevets) is really careful with being historically accurate, but what he found was limited. He calls this his own "fantasy." I think he's said that the line about the cherries is about how girls from Kuban are sweet like cherries, but you have to be good, and treat them right, because they can be sour too. 2. Polka Volyn'ianka. Like Kuban, this dance was choreographed was premiered at Cheremosh's 40th anniversary celebrations in 2010. Volyn is a region in northwestern Ukraine. 3. Edmonton Hopak. A Hopak is basically the national dance of Ukraine, and is the way groups (should) end a show, with lots of tricks and techniques. It ends the show with a bang. Mykola choreographed this for his new home after moving from Ukraine to Canada. If you look close, the costumes have a few symbols as a sort of tribute to Edmonton, Alberta. (From what I've been told, the province's flower-the wild rose embroidered on the blouses, on the men's belts, women's aprons and headpieces, and in their vest as well. And being a prairie province, the gold headpieces and on the skirts is for the wheat.) For lyrics and chords of all my songs, please see my website: http://raymondfolk.wikifoundry.com