Time has flown so far on Lehenda's Kazka adventure. This belated blog post follows a stream of packed days in some of the best cities of the US.
Chicago's response was more than welcoming. We received another round of standing ovations and were able to meet Ukrainian dancers of the area after the show. Prior to the show a bit relaxation and calm was needed, as one of our dancers led us through a meditation session and cleared our minds of our worries. The show ran with one thing on our minds, to dance the night away.
The following day we visited the Ukrainian village in downtown Chicago. The culture and history that surrounded us made us feel right at home. Staying in the heart of city right next to Navy Pier had us ready for the 4th of July celebrations. Beach volley ball and fireworks on the set of a city skyline by the water. It was the perfect way to finish up in Chicago and we loved every minute of it.
Flying out to Washington soon after, we hopped on buses and bicycles and roamed the city. Our short stay had us all determined to reach one goal - to see every monument the city beheld. We did exactly that, from the Lincoln memorial, the White House to the Washington memorial, every building in all its magnificence had us in awe. The beautiful warm weather and sun shining warmed us up and we unfortunately bid farewell to Washington and set out for Wilmington.
On the bus to our next show, many of the dancers and crew sang traditional Australian songs and poems to brighten our spirits. The whole trip in fact has been a medley of both Ukrainian and Australian culture.
So today marks show number three on our international leg. The Grand Opera theatre in all its splendour, had the prestigious Virsky Ukrainian Dance Ensemble perform on this very stage. As we set for this next show, we all feel quite proud of ourselves and privileged to say we danced where their shoes once told stories too. Stories of our heritage we value just as much as they do.
See you tonight Wilmington, get ready for Kazka to hit the stage!
Maria Zhdanko - Company Dancer
