Brooklyn Ukrainian Group presents "Koliada Kaos"

by Maya Lew

NEW YORK - Manhattan's Union Square will never be the same. On December 19, 2003, members of the Brooklyn Ukrainian Group took Manhattan by storm when they dressed in traditional Ukrainian carolers' costumes and sang Christmas carols throughout the streets. Ranging in age from 1 1/2 to 41, the "koliadnyky" were dressed as Kozaks, a Baba Yaga, an angel, a devil, and of course, a goat.

"Koliada Kaos" is just one of the events of the Brooklyn Ukrainian Group, which this year was organized by Roxy Toporowych. The modern-day Ukrainian Christmas carolers performed traditional carols in order to raise funds to support Ukrainian causes.

This year the Brooklyn Ukrainian Group split the proceeds from its endeavor evenly between Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church in Brooklyn and a feature-length documentary film about Ukrainian folk dancing in North America by Ms. Toporowych, who is a filmmaker.

The Brooklyn Ukrainian Group was founded in 2003 to support young Ukrainian American filmmakers, artists, musicians and artisans in projects that incorporate Ukrainian customs and traditions in a modern-day setting.

"Koliada Kaos" was the first project undertaken by the group, which plans to hold fund-raising events for various causes in the spring that will also include groups of singing Ukrainians.

Readers interested in joining the Brooklyn organization may log on to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrooklynUkrainianGroup/.

For further information on the Ukrainian folk dance documentary, readers may contact Ms. Toporowych at roxysparkles@hotmail.com. To make a donation, send checks payable to Ukrainian Chorus Dumka Inc. (write "Syzo Documentary" in the memo section) to 73 N. Eighth St., No. 5, Brooklyn, NY 11211. All donations are tax-deductible.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, February 1, 2004, No. 5, Vol. LXXII

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