"Black Tie and Orange Ball" attended by 2,500 fetes new president (01/30/05)

"Black Tie and Orange Ball" attended by 2,500 fetes new president

by Marta Kolomayets
Special to The Ukrainian Weekly

KYIV - The tattered tents that served as steadfast bunkers for students on the Khreshchatyk, the handmade signs carried by delegations from such destinations as Buchach, Okhtyrka and Boryspil, the familiar beat of the catchy Orange Revolution rap, and the smell of pyramids of oranges - all these contributed to the atmosphere of the "Black Tie and Orange Ball," a private party for more than 2,500 supporters of newly inaugurated President Viktor Yushchenko on Sunday evening, January 23, at the Ukrainian House, just meters away from the historic Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square).

President Viktor Yushchenko and First Lady Kateryna Chumachenko Yushchenko made a brief, but soul-stirring appearance at Ukraine's first-ever inaugural ball, dubbed "Life in an Orange Instant," which was produced by artistic director Vasyl Vovkun and his creative team.

After a full day of official events, which included the presidential swearing-in ceremony in Parliament, an inaugural address to hundreds of thousands on the maidan, a diplomatic reception for visiting dignitaries, followed by an inaugural concert and reception at the Palats Ukraina ball and a grand display of fireworks in Kyiv's city center, many of the Orange Revolution's leaders and supporters joined the first family at the Ukrainian House for the celebration of a new era.

The brainchild of Michael Bleyzer, president and CEO of SigmaBleyzer, an American-Ukrainian investment group that has been working in Ukraine for more than 10 years, the Black Tie and Orange Ball was organized in two short weeks by a committee of 25 organizations that work in Ukraine. The members included such companies as Softline, the Ukraine 3000 Foundation, the Ukrainian Grain Association, the Poltava Confectionery, Zaporizhia Meat Processing Plant, Channel 5 TV, ERA TV and Radio Company, Kiev Atlantic Ukraine - Atlantic Farms and the Center for Ukrainian Reform Education, as well as former Ambassadors Anton Buteiko and Yuri Shcherbak.

"The idea of the ball was not to send a message to the new administration; it had no hidden agenda, no business angle," explained Mr. Bleyzer. "It had but one aim: to celebrate this great victory."

"I believe that there is a time to work hard, a time to do business, a time to enjoy life and a time to celebrate," said the self-made businessman, who emigrated from Kharkiv to Houston as a young man in 1978.

"The key to making the ball a success was the genius of Vasyl Vovkun, who was able to convey the spirit of the maidan by covering the Ukrainian House in orange cloth, by replicating moments of the revolution within the walls of the hall," commented Mr. Bleyzer

"There was always such good energy on the maidan," said Mr. Vovkun, whose aim was to recreate the same atmosphere at the ball in the Ukrainian House, which served as a shelter, soup kitchen and medical outpost during the revolution. He and his team knew the spirit of the maidan quite well, since they spent two months working the stage for Ukraine's political leaders and musical stars. So, for the revolution's finale, they draped the Ukrainian House in broad strips of orange cloth.

"I believe that God's hand guided us through the revolution," he commented, "because Christian and moral values dominated on the maidan. Viktor Yushchenko set an example of forgiveness and charity."

On his first day on the job, President Yushchenko was relaxed and charming, as he addressed supporters from all walks of life who attended the ball: poets and politicians, journalists and students, businesspeople and professionals who are forming Ukraine's rising middle-class.

"I am offering you a challenge: and this challenge concerns each and every one of you whose heart beats Ukrainian, no matter what your profession, no matter your age, no matter if you live in Toronto, or Kyiv, or in the village of Khoruzhivka ... Let us tell ourselves that we are ashamed to live in a Ukraine that has criminals in power; that we are ashamed to live in a country where 55 percent of the economy works in the shadows. This is no way to live," he said.

President Yushchenko said he is convinced that every Ukrainian wants rule of law, an independent judiciary that protects private property and investments and allows citizens to defend their rights, and a free media.

"I want us to live in a lawful state. This is not a romantic notion nor is it a fata morgana. I have one request: help me to do this. Together, we can make this country happy. Together we are many and we cannot be defeated," concluded Mr. Yushchenko to resounding applause and chants of "Yush-chen-ko!"

He then proceeded to hand over the microphone to his wife, who addressed the crowd as the new first lady of Ukraine, while her daughters, Sofiyka and Khrystynka, scrambled onto the stage, followed by Mr. Yushchenko's granddaughter Yaryna playing with the clouds of dry ice - testimony to the fact that this first family will be unpretentious and down to earth.

"I see in this hall a lot of friends, friends who have been with us through the good times and the difficult moments," said the first lady. Dressed in an elegant burgundy velvet gown, designed by Ukrainian fashion star Lillia Pustovit and adorned by 1,000-year-old gold treasures on loan from the Khersones Platonov collection, Mrs. Yushchenko thanked all of the revolution's supporters, noting that "today, we all feel the happiness, love and good will - and this feeling among us now will thrive in Ukraine for many years to come."

She raised a toast to all present to thank them for their support and asked all the guests, in turn, to lift their glasses to all of the people who were on the maidan because "without them, we would not have the Ukraine we have today," she concluded, as the crowd greeted her with chants of "Ka-tya, Ka-tya!"

While the first family went off to view the exhibit of 300 photographs from the revolution, which were also part of the "Orange Instant" event, to meet and greet the supporters of the Orange Revolution, and even offer autographs, the entertainment on the stage of the Ukrainian House continued with the sounds of Taras Petrynenko singing "Ukraino," a song he wrote in the early 1990s that became an unofficial anthem of the people on the maidan.

Joining him on stage during the Orange Ball were many of the heroes of the revolution including emcee Yevhen Nyschuk, Okean Elzy, Mandry, Tartak, Oleksander Ponomariov, the Ars Nova drum band, the Revolution Orchestra and Grinzholli, who wrote the rap song "Razom Nas Bahato" theme of Ukraine's revolutionary days.

Throughout the evening, entertainers, including clowns on stilts and troupes of performance artists in costume, conveyed the mood of a carnival as they mingled among the crowds, while waiters and waitresses provided wine, champagne and hors d'oeuvres to the guests.

But this carnival was also a living history and an opportunity for people to relive the emotions of their power and their commitment to democracy.

"For me, it was a chance to celebrate this pivotal moment in Ukrainian history, to savor the victory and inauguration in grand style with thousands of other euphoric people," said Dzvinka Kryshtalowych, a partner/lawyer with Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, who has worked in Ukraine for 12 years. Ms. Kryshtalowych, who lives on the Khreschatyk, walked to work past the tent city every day for a month, passing students who resolved that they would no longer put up with lies and corruption that prevailed in Ukraine over the last few years. "And, I knew early on - by their sheer determination - that this time Ukraine would emerge victorious," added Ms. Kryshtalowych.

Ivan Malkovych, a poet and founder of the children's book publishing company A-BA-BA-HA-LA-MA-HA, said that the revolution changed many people; they became nicer, friendlier and more open. "And such was the case with this ball," he said. "It wasn't stuffy, or Soviet, or bureaucratic - it was cozy and inviting," he said, as he pondered what he would do without the maidan. "I was like a drug addict. I suffered from maidan dependency," explaining that he didn't go to work for three weeks because he had to be in the revolution.

As for Mr. Vovkun, the producer of "Life in an Orange Instant," he said he is planning to produce "A Broadway-style musical on the Orange Revolution and then take it on tour to a variety of countries."

"This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that changed so many lives forever," he underscored.

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