DESNA Hosts 35th
Anniversary Gala and Fundraiser Event
The DESNA Ukrainian Dance Company of Toronto is hosting its 35th
Anniversary Gala titled “Then & Now” at the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Toronto on Saturday, June 12 to
fundraise for the upcoming DESNA San Diego cultural trip.
The House of Ukraine in San Diego, CA invited DESNA to put on a full dance
program for San Diego’s 50th
Anniversary Ukrainian Festival during the Labour Day Weekend. DESNA responded with
enthusiasm and a wish to reconnect San Diego’s Ukrainian community
with their roots through traditional folk dance.
To make the trip possible, DESNA hopes to raise enough
funds to cover the cost of plane tickets for its dancers and staff to San Diego by staging DESNA’s 35th
Anniversary Ukrainian gala extravaganza programme.
“Then & Now” Gala
Guests can embark on a journey through Ukraine with the taste of
traditional food, dances and songs.
“Our dances represent different regions of Ukraine,” said Luba Grekov, DESNA’s Artistic Director and
former member of the world-renowned Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company.
“People who come can appreciate the differences between costumes, dance styles
and character.”
The 35th Anniversary Gala will begin
with cocktails and silent auction. Valued guests will have the opportunity to
interact with DESNA’s members who built the company’s legacy to keep the
Ukrainian culture alive within Western communities. This event also gives DESNA’s alumni a chance to
mingle and connect with the company’s past and present generations.
“DESNA’s 35th Anniversary Gala is a celebration
of DESNA’s rich history,” said
Taras Pawluk, DESNA Ukrainian Dance Company’s President.
“The evening is a milestone when the past meets
the present. It is for this reason that we have affectionately called the
evening “Then & Now” where stories from the alumni come to life and are
shared. The Company is proud to be able to perform and honor all of the alumni
from its inception and through the years weaving a spectacular tapestry known
as DESNA,” Taras Pawluk said.
The entertainment will showcase several of DESNA’s traditional Ukrainian
dances choreographed by the former Virsky dancers Luba and Yuri Grekov.
After a Ukrainian dinner, guests can enjoy an
evening of dancing to the band Zirka who will play live Ukrainian and
North American music for the gala’s zabava.
Tickets are $60 (adults and youth 13+), $25
(children 3-12), and children under 3 years of age –free. The Zabava
(dance only) is $25. The gala’s venue is the Ukrainian Cultural Centre, 83 Christie St., Toronto. To purchase tickets and
for additional information on DESNA’s 35th Anniversary Gala,
please contact: Taras Pawluk, DESNA Ukrainian Dance Company President at
416-819-5468 or email contact@desna.ca
About DESNA
DESNA dazzles its audience
with a wide traditional repertoire, contrasting these dance pieces with new and
unique styles of choreography. The dances come to life from the inspiration of
Artistic Directors Yuri and Luba Grekov, former graduates from the Academy of Dance of Pavlo Virsky and
members of the famed Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company based out of Ukraine.
“Those who join DESNA are not always familiar
with Ukraine and its culture,” said
Luba Grekov. “Through Ukrainian dance, our students can develop erudition –
they can find more about Ukraine’s different regions,
culture and history.”
DESNA’s twice weekly
rehearsals include classical ballet barre warm-up exercises and
Virsky style instruction of Ukrainian dance.
In recent years, DESNA’s countless performances
in Canada and the United States have ranged from guest
appearances to full concerts and well-known festivals. For more information,
visit www.desna.ca