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Rusyny (Roo-syn-uh) Folk Dance Ensemble

Rusyny specializes in dance, music, and song of the Rusyn culture. Rusyns are a unique ethnic group from the Trans-Carpthian Mountain regions of Slovakia, Ukraine, Poland and Romania. Like the Basque, Rusyns have their own ethnicity and not their own country, though they predate the countries that contain them.

Rusyny was established August 2001 by founder and Artistic Director Miss Leslie Kurtak. Leslie has studied dance at the prestigious schools of Juliard School of American Ballet, North Carolina School for the Arts, and Boston Ballet School. She is grateful for all the support of present and past members that have developed the only Rusyn dance troupe West of the Mississippi.

We our the official Rusyn dance representatives of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society of Arizona

http://www.carpathorusynsociety.org/.

Our group specializes in traditional Rusyn folk songs and dances from the Carpathian Mountains of Slovakia and Ukraine.

http://www.carpatho-rusyn.org/. Our members range in age from children to adults and we always welcome new members who are physically healthy and interested to learn Rusyn dance. If you are interested to learn Rusyn dance in Tucson, please contact our director, Leslie at deserttea@yahoo.com.

Our signature dances display athletic kicks and leaps by the men & boys, and percussive stomps and turns by the women & girls. The dances and costumes are kept as authentic as possible to the regions from which the dances and songs originate.

The traditional choreography is by Dean Poloka and Jack Poloka, directors of Slavjane Folk Ensemble http://www.slavjane.org/ from McKees Rock Pennsylvannia. Dean and Jack Poloka have over fifty years combined experience in Slavic folk dance. We are very lucky to have them come annually to Tucson, Arizona to teach a Rusyn Dance Workshop to Rusyny and the public. Please look at our schedule to see when the next Rusyn Workshop will be.

Additionally, we are fortunate to work with Barvinok Ensemble http://www.barvinok-us.com/, whom provides professional live music for our shows. Their director, Nina Tritenichenko, is a graduate of Keiv State Pedagogical University in Ukraine. She is a virtuoso chromatic accordianist, music arranger and singer. Barvinok Ensemble includes musicians playing traditional instruments such as bayan, cimbalom, domra, and sopilka. Nina teaches private music and voice lessons in Palo Alto, California. If you would like to take private lessons from Nina, or book Barvinok for your next event, please contact Nina Tritenichenko at bayanina@barvinok-us.com.

St. Melany Byzantine Catholic Church http://www.smbcchurch.org/ hosts our practices in Tucson, Arizona. In fact, St. Melany's previous pastor, now Bishop Willam Skurla of the Eparchy of Van Nuys, helped nourish the beginnings of our dance troupe. Recently, Bishop William Skurla honored us by appointing Rusyny as the official cultural representatives of the Byzantive Catholic Eparchy of Van Nuys. Though we are recognized by our host church, we are non-denominational and non-profit.

Rusyny performs annually at least 18 shows a year, including Arizona Balalaika Orchestra Annual Concert, Tucson Meet Yourself, Tucson Slavic Festival, Tucson Oktoberfest, Tucson Family Arts Festival, Eastern European Concert, Tucson International Festival, Public Schools, Retirement Communities, Weddings and many other private shows. Please review our schedule to see when we perform.

If you are interested to book Rusyny for your event, please contact director, Leslie Kurtak at deserttea@yahoo.com.

FOR BOOKING INFO, CONTACT LESLIE AT DESERTTEA@YAHOO.COM

Practices:

SENIORS:

Thursdays 6:00pm- 8:00pm & Sundays 12:30pm-2:30pm weekly

JUNIORS

Sundays 11:45am-12:30pm

All practices are at:

St. Melany Byzantine Catholic Church

1212 N Sahuara Ave

Tucson, AZ 85712