Happy Holidays from DESNA

It is my distinct pleasure and privilege

to serve as one of DESNA’s executive

directors. It is exciting to be part of a

group that is forward-thinking and

moving, performing for audiences of all

cultures throughout North America and

abroad for over 35 years! Our success is

a joint effort of every member. I want

DESNA – A Message from the President!

Join us for DESNA & S.A. Ukraina’s Annual Malanka DESNA members and alumni are pulling

out their dancing boots and stilettos for

DESNA’s annual Malanka, co-hosted with

Sports Association Ukraina.

We’d love for you and your friends to

join us in celebrating the New Year!

Come and enjoy DESNA’s dazzling

performance, an amazing dinner and a

zabava that will have you dance the

night away to live music by Nove

Pokolinya.

Please call 416-893-6475 for more

information. Tickets (singles or tables of

eight) may be purchased at 75 Six Points

Rd., Toronto, or from a DESNA member.

WHERE: RENAISSANCE by the Creek

3045 Southcreek Rd., Mississauga, ON

WHEN: Jan. 22, 2011@ 5:30 p.m.

Upcoming Events: Jan 22: Malanka

Jan 30: Guest Performers for

Shevchenko Ensemble

(Columbus Centre)

Feb: FOLK! Ukrainian Dance

Documentary Feature

March: Pub Night

April: Alumni ‘Mixer’

May: Dance Workshop

June: Schmooze Cruise

June: Dance Mob

to thank everyone who, in one way or

another, has contributed their time and

effort to the group. I also thank our

sponsors and advertisers for their

generosity and continued support. On

behalf of DESNA, I would like to wish

you and your loved ones all the best in

2011!

Artistic Directors

Luba & Yuri Grekov

Executive & Board of Directors 2010-2011 President: Alex Czoli

Vice-President: Taras Pawluk

Treasurer: Roksana Masliak

Secretary: Lina Berezovska

Promotion: Larisa Makuch

Wardrobe: Anna Yashkina

Fundraising: Kathryn Gavrylec

Fundraising: Yuriy Pawluk

Membership: Matthew Moskaluk

Membership: Stephanie Woloshyn

January 2011

- Alex Czoli, President of DESNA

The DESNA Ukrainian Dance Company of

Toronto hosted its 35th Anniversary Gala

titled “Then & Now” at the Ukrainian

Cultural Centre of Toronto in early

June, 2010.

Guests embarked on a journey with Ukraine’s regional dances, songs and traditional food. “The evening was a milestone where the past meets the present,” said Taras Pawluk, former president of DESNA.

DESNA Hosts 35th Anniversary Zabava

The Toronto spirit of Ukrainian dance warmed up the windy pacific coast with DESNA’s cultural trip to San Diego, California over the 2010 Labour Day weekend. The group delivered a full-scale show for the San Diego House of Ukraine’s 50th Anniversary.

Ukrainian-American community members arrived in hundreds from San Diego, Phoenix, Arizona and Los Angeles to attend DESNA’s concert preformed together with the virtuoso violinist Vasyl Popadiuk, and bandura players Andriy Kytasty and Luke Miller at the Joan B. Kroc Theatre on September 4.

DESNA Performs in San Diego

• Koliada 2010

• Malanka 2010

• Joint Performance with Shevechenko Ensemble @ Columbus Centre and Annual Concert

• Chinese Festival Celebration

• 50 Best Managed Corporate Companies

Other Featured Events and Performances

DESNA Highlights

Guests and alumni had the chance to mingle with DESNA dancers. Old and new generations of the company celebrated the group’s rich history. “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. All proceeds from the 35th anniversary went into funding DESNA’s trip to San Diego.

DESNA performed twelve numbers depicting different regions of Ukraine. The pieces told stories of Ukraine’s noble spirit and diverse cultural heritage through colorful costumes, drama, passion and humor. The next day the celebrations shifted to Balboa Park where the House of Ukraine, a cultural museum, oversaw DESNA’s second performance. Under the warm sun and in the shade of trees, more than one thousand people with diverse backgrounds had a moment to breathe in DESNA’s exhilarating jumps, flips and turns.

• UCC on Richview

• Rochester Ukrainian Festival

• Numerous Weddings and Private Functions

• Hosted 2 Pub Nights

• Toronto Ukrainian Festival 2010 (Performed for the 14th Consecutive Year & Won best non-commercial Float in the Parade)

Artistic Directors Luba & Yuri Grekov

Executive & Board of Directors 2010-2011 President: Alex Czoli

Vice-President: Taras Pawluk

Treasurer: Roksana Masliak

Secretary: Lina Berezovska

Promotion: Larisa Makuch

Wardrobe: Anna Yashkina

Fundraising: Kathryn Gavrylec

Fundraising: Yuriy Pawluk

Membership: Matthew

Moskaluk

Membership: Stephanie

Woloshyn

DESNA & Narodny Dim Present “FOLK” this February

The Art of Ukrainian Folk Dance

By The Epoch Times

TORONTO—The sound of violins,

guitars, and voices swept through the

traditional rain at the annual Bloor

West Village Ukrainian Festival last

Saturday (Sept. 18, 2010). Each

September on the corner of Bloor St.

and Jane St., an audience gathers with

blue, yellow and black umbrellas to

take in the wet performers on stage.

The festival injects Ukrainian

performing groups with both

excitement and anxiety. The amount of

work and effort that artists and dancers

pour into the festival reflects their

respect for their Ukrainian roots. Once

the music stops, the stage lights dim

and the crowd dissolves, Bloor and

Jane are left in the cold to reminisce

until next year.

For lovers of different cultures and

those who value Canada’s unique

cultural diversity, Ukrainian folk

dancing offers a remedy for the dull

DESNA in the News

Page 1 of 3 DESNA Highlights

The DESNA Ukrainian Dance Company of Toronto, along with the city’s Narodny Dim will be presenting a screening of “Folk!” This is a documentary about Ukrainian Dance in North America and how many have found their roots in their red dancing boots. All are welcome to attend.

A trailer to the show may be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVupqfN

1jjs

WHEN: Sat. Feb. 26, 2011 @ 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: Revue Cinema

400 Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto

For more information and to reserve your ticket in advance, please contact home@narodniydim.ca.

autumn chill hailing the beginning of

winter.

A bouquet of international dance

Regardless of age, ethnicity or gender,

DESNA has taught the art of Ukrainian

folk dance for over 35 years. What

makes the company unique is the

teaching style and the way classes are

approached.

“DESNA is an international dance

company, and we deliver international

dance choreography,” said Yuri Grekov,

one of DESNA’s artistic directors. Grekov

and his wife Luba have taught at DESNA

for over ten years. Both graduated from

Ukraine's famous Virsky National

Academy of Dance.

Pull quote:

“Basically it’s the travelling that are really the best of my memories.”

-- Mathew Moskaluk, current

Memebership Director at DESNA

Please visit TheEpochTimes.com to read the rest of the article.

DESNA Invites YOU

to attend an

Open Rehearsal

Th. Jan 13, 2011

Th. Feb. 3, 2011

@ 6:30 pm

83 Christie St., Toronto

Check out DESNA on

FACEBOOK! Search for:

“The DESNA

Ukrainian Dance Company of

Toronto”

Or visit us at:

www.DESNA.ca

DESNA not only performs for public

events and festivals, but also for a large

number of private events and functions.

Consider hiring DESNA next time you

want a taste of the Ukrainian culture at

your Wedding, Birthday Party,

Anniversary, Multicultural Event,

Corporate Function, Zabava, or any

other Function!

To Book DESNA for your Event, Call

Taras Pawluk at 416-819-5468.

Do you want to…. - Challenge yourself and take

your Ukrainian Dance to a higher level with Virsky instruction at its best?

- Perform throughout the GTA, across Canada and the USA?

- Have FUN? Are you….

- An experienced dancer? - 14+ years of age? - Enthusiastic and committed to

Ukrainian Dance? Rehearsal Details:

Thursday Evenings 6:30pm – 9:15pm 83 Christie St., Toronto, ON

Sunday Evenings 6:00pm – 9:30pm 406 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON

Join DESNA!

Hire DESNA

The DESNA Ukrainian Dance Company of Toronto Box 15, Station P, 704

Spadina Avenue

Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S7

Charitable No.: 11922 9755 RR001

DESNA Ukrainian Dance Company Box 15, Station P, 704 Spadina Avenue

Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S7

Contact@DESNA.ca www.DESNA.ca

DESNA thanks you for your generosity.

Become a DESNA Sponsor As a nonprofit, charitable organization, DESNA relies on the donations from many organizations and individuals such as yourself to help maintain operations of the company.

We send our sincerest gratitude and appreciation for your support in giving DESNA dancers an opportunity to perform Ukrainian Dance and display Ukrainian Culture.

Name: ______________________________________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________

City: _____________________________ Province: ________________

Telephone: (_________) __________ - ___________________________

E-Mail: ______________________________________________________

Please keep me up to date of DESNA events by e-mail: YES / NO (circle)

Donation Amount: $____________________________________________

Please make cheques payable to: DESNA Ukrainian Dance Company of Toronto

Tax Recipets will be provided for donations exceeding $20.00 Charitable No.: 11922 9755 RR001