Massachusetts community enjoys "Ukrainian Song and Dance Festival" (05/26/02)

Massachusetts community enjoys "Ukrainian Song and Dance Festival"

by John Chopyk

WESTFIELD, Mass. - The "Ukrainian Song and Dance Festival" was held at South Middle School Auditorium in Westfield, Mass., on Saturday, April 20. The evening program featured the 30-member Yevshan Ukrainian Vocal Ensemble from Hartford, Conn., and the Yunist Ukrainian American Dance Ensemble from Yonkers, N.Y.

This event was sponsored, in part, by a grant from the Westfield Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee, Ukrainian American Veterans Post No. 31 of Boston, Vantage Enterprises of Hartford, Conn., and the Ukrainian Selfreliance New England Federal Credit Union.

The Yunist troupe, directed and choreographed by Hryhoriy Momot, performed traditional dances of Ukraine. Ted Stasiuk directed the Yevshan ensemble.

The event proved to be a complete success, as nearly 500 people participated and the audience was very enthusiastic and appreciative.

Included in the program was the patriotic song "God Bless America" by Irving Berlin. During the singing the Ukrainian American Veterans presented the American and the Ukrainian national flags, and the audience was asked to stand to honor those who had paid the ultimate price in defending our freedom. Also included in the program was the Ukrainian Christmas carol "Schedryk" by Leontovych, which later became known as "Carol of the Bells" - a Christmas classic.

This program was organized and coordinated by John Chopyk, a retired plant engineer and currently a bilingual Ukrainian teacher at South Middle School. The Massachusetts Transitional Bilingual Education Law (GLC 71A) requires a school district to establish a Transitional Bilingual Education program when there are 20 or more students in the school district who speak the same language and who cannot perform ordinary classroom work in English. Currently there are 104 students in the Westfield School District enrolled in a Ukrainian bilingual program.

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