Vsi: The Podcast

Meditation is for everyone, dancers included. It’s a way to tend to your nervous system and self-regulate and just be. On this episode, Sam Squire shares the benefits of meditation and leads listeners through a 12-minute mindfulness meditation.

What Else You’ll Hear

- Why meditation has been one of the few consistent things in our lives lately

- Tips on how to set yourself up for meditation

- How you can download this mindfulness meditation so you can practice whenever you please

Resources

- Sam Squire’s website

- Sam Squire’s Instagram

Music

- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song

Prefer the written word? Check out our blog post version of this episode at vsi-ukr.com/blog/meditation.

Symbolism in Ukrainian culture is everywhere, featured on the clothes we wear, the decorations in our homes, and even the tattoos on our bodies — for some of us, at least! On this episode, you’ll hear from a couple extra special guests — Kaitlyn and Natalya — who share with us not only a mutual love for Ukrainian dance and culture but also matching tattoos.

What Else You’ll Hear

- The meanings behind shapes and colours in Ukrainian designs

- A breakdown of our matching tattoo design and how there is meaning behind every line

- Banter between four BFFs who love Ukrainian dance and culture as much as you do

Resources

- Pysanky.info

- Euromaidan Press

- Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine

Music

- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song

Prefer the written word? Check out our blog post version of this episode at vsi-ukr.com/blog/tattoo.

In Episode 2, we talked about our time dancing with the Virsky Studio dancers in Kyiv. In this episode, we hit the road and go to Lviv and Chernivtsi. We spent two months in each city, training with various groups, including Yunist and the Bukovyna State Ensemble.

What Else You’ll Hear

- Resources about anti-racism work in the Ukrainian community

- A breakdown of how dance classes are run in each ensemble

-What dance programs at universities/colleges are like

- The somewhat surprising go-to dance outfit for instructors in Ukraine

Resources

- Divchata on Instagram and Facebook

- Ukrainians in Solidarity on Instagram

- Anti-racisim resources compiled by Divchata

- Videos of the Bukovyna State Ensemble on YouTube

Music

- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song

Prefer the written word? Want to see some pics from the studio? Check out our blog post version of this episode at vsi-ukr.com/blog/lvivchernivtsi.

Many Ukrainian dancers start when they’re young, and though at the time they don’t really know why they’re dancing in some church basement or random school gym every week, they keep showing up — thanks to their parents. And eventually, the dancers make the decision themselves to stay in it, sometimes for decades, turning this extra-curricular hobby into a lifelong passion. So, what keeps us going back week after week? In this episode, you’ll hear why we Ukrainian dance — and why we think you should, too.

What Else You’ll Hear

- How uncertain times like the current COVID-19 pandemic can bring dancers closer

- How Ukrainian dance has completely shaped our lives (for the better)

- Analogies about life (and burgers)

Resources

- Vsi on Facebook and Instagram

- Send us an email here

Music

- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song

Prefer a quick read? Check out our blog post version of this episode at vsi-ukr.com/blog/whyidance.

In this interview, hear from Natalya, a Virsky Company dancer, about what life is like in the studio, how she balances life with work, and what pushes her to keep dancing even on those days when she feels tired and unmotivated.

What Else You’ll Hear

- What Virsky is up to now

- Words of advice for Ukrainian dancers of any level in any country

- Tips to let you keep your manicured nails even if you have a big performance coming up

Resources

- Virsky’s website and Facebook page

- Virsky Studio’s website and Facebook page

- Ensemble Rustavi Facebook page and YouTube channel

Music

- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song

Prefer the written word? Want to see some pics from the studio and see some videos of Natalya’s favourite dances? Check out our blog post version of this episode at vsi-ukr.com/blog/natalya.

So what’s it like training with one of Ukraine’s top folk ensembles? In this episode, we give an overview of our experience training with the Virsky Studio dancers. These dancers are in a two-year program that prepares them to audition for the Virsky company.

What Else You’ll Hear
- A breakdown of the classes Virsky Studio dancers must take
- How we Canadians kept up with these soon-to-be professional dancers

Resources
- Virsky’s website (and the ensemble’s old website) and Facebook page
- Virsky Studio’s website and Facebook page
- Veryovka Facebook page
- Cobblestone Freeway Tours

Music
- A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song

Prefer the written word? Want to see some pics from the studio and see some videos of what we’re talking about? Check out our blog post version of this episode at vsi-ukr.com/blog/virsky.

Wearing a heeled shoe in Ukrainian dance has always sort of been a right of passage — it’s a step up from slippers in your younger years, and the gateway to what comes next: the red boot.

In this episode, we share how our character shoes — and how our own characters — evolved during the year we spent dancing in Ukraine, training with the country’s top folk ensembles.

What else you’ll hear:
- Where to buy the best Ukrainian dance shoes
- What it’s like dancing with Ukraine’s top ensembles
- How dance classes are structured in Ukraine

Resources:
- Postmark Ukraine
- Our Year in Ukraine by Cobblestone Freeway Tours

Music:
A big thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song

Prefer the written word? Want to see some pics of our beloved shoes? Read our blog post version of this episode at vsi-ukr.com/blog/charactershoes.

Vsi episodes come out once (maybe twice) a month, and the first one will be released in February. Head to our website vsi-ukr.com to subscribe to our newsletter, and we’ll let you know when the first one drops!

Thanks to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song.