AUGUST 14, 2024
Over the past months, our team has been deep in production on our documentary project, “Virsky: The Dance of Freedom,” produced under the expert guidance of Felix Golubev. What started as a creative idea quickly became something bigger: a journey into the living history of the Virsky Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble—and the people who carried its spirit through the Soviet era and into the realities Ukraine faces today.
Our director Nick Newcastle had the honor of interviewing an extraordinary group of artists whose lives reflect the Virsky story across decades:
- Miroslav Vantuh — a long-standing artistic director whose leadership has shaped Ukrainian cultural life and inspired generations of dancers and choreographers.
- Sergei Makarov — a choreographic force and one of the last artists directly taught by Pavlo Virsky. His approach to instruction is famously rigorous—precise, demanding, and deeply respected worldwide.
- Victor Gachenko — an essential voice in understanding how the ensemble’s tradition was sustained and refined.
- Yevgen Tregubov — a soloist who toured internationally under Vantuh’s direction and now continues the legacy from Calgary, passing the tradition to the next generation, including his sons.
- Victor Osadchyy, Volodymyr Oliyarnik, Olga Oleksienko — powerful representatives of the younger successors carrying Virsky forward today.
We’re excited to share more as the documentary continues to take shape—because this isn’t only a story about performance. It’s a story about freedom, continuity, and the people who keep culture alive. Stay tuned!
#ECGProductionsCanada #VirskyTheDanceOfFreedom #UkrainianDance #BehindTheScenes #StayTuned #Virsky #Ukraine
