Wasyl Sydorenko

Recently, I had an exclusive opportunity to meet Canadian filmmaker Myroslava Oleksiuk-Baker and preview her latest film "Virsky – The Spirit of Ukraine." I was pleased to discover that this one-hour made-for-television production will be premiered Thursday evening, September 7, 2000 by PBS television station WNED Buffalo-Toronto (Channel 17, Cable 18) at the launch of its fall membership drive. This the first time that an artistic film featuring Ukrainian dance, music and culture will be featured on public television. And the key word is – artistic!

Filmmaker Myroslava Oleksiuk-Baker wrote, produced and directed "Virsky – The Spirit of Ukraine." As a Ukrainian activist, she has often been involved in promoting a positive image of Ukraine, its people and culture. In this film she has achieved the perfect combination of narration, music and dance to capture the spirit of Ukraine. All the elements combine to create an emotional image of Ukraine – romantic, tragic, heroic, noble and beautiful. The language is universal, the audience – the world!

"Virsky – The Spirit of Ukraine" is not just a dance film. It is the story of Ukraine as expressed through the arts. The presentation is modern, including the filmography, editing, lighting and stage design. Dramatic moments are heightened by visual effects, dream-like lyrical sections touch us on a more intimate level and historic vignettes excite our curiousity. Universal themes such as tradition, life, love, war and nature bind the film to create a seamless vision of Ukraine, its people and culture.

In 1998 the filmmaker's husband Don Baker and brother Leonid Oleksiuk co-produced a North American tour of the Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company. All major cities in Canada and the United States were visited with rave reviews everywhere. Choreographer and ballet master Pavlo Virsky (1905-1975) founded the ensemble in 1937 and developed a new artistic style of dance based on folk tradition. Its influence on Ukrainian dance style has been felt world-wide. Today the ensemble is one of Ukraine's best cultural ambassadors to the world.

Myroslava Oleksiuk-Baker used the opportunity of working with the Virsky ensemble to create a cinematographic expression of her heritage. The production became a Canada-Ukraine collaboration with filming in both countries involving talents of both Canadians and Ukrainians. In addition to the Virsky Symphony Orchestra, Ukrainian film composer Volodymyr Huba contributed the musical interludes accompanying the film's narrative sections. Imbued with folk elements, the orchestral score creates an epic backdrop to the film's storyline.

For the upcoming PBS broadcast of "Virsky – The Spirit of Ukraine" the film has been reedited and augmented to include the artistry of violin virtuoso Vasyl Popadiuk and his brother Slavko. This should make the film a new experience for everyone.

There will be four broadcasts of the film on WNED (Channel 17, Cable 18) on September 7 – at 8:00 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. If you considered taking out or renewing your membership at WNED, that Thursday night would be the best time. If the membership drive is successful using "Virsky" as the drawing card, then, not only will WNED repeat the show on future occasions, but the entire PBS Network is more likely to take notice as well. For more information, visit the film's official web site at: www.virsky.com.