On April 5. The Carnegie of Pittsburgh hosted "An Evening at the Andy Warhol Museum" on Pittsburgh's North Side. The evening program began with hors d'oeuvres in the museum's entrance gallery, with a menu and music inspired by Andy's Carpatho-Rusyn heritage (well noted in the program booklet). C-RS's own Jerry Jumba provided the accordion music and Rusyn folk singing for the opening reception.
On May 6, members of "The Carpathians", the Rusyn dance group of St. Michael's Orthodox Greek Catholic Church, performed at the 13th Annual Two Rivers Ethnic Festival in Binghamton, New York. The festival marked the 15th year that the group, directed by Cheryl Dutko, has performed in the Binghamton area. Guest choreographer Jerry Jumba taught 5 new Rusyn dances, including "Ot Ungvara cardas", "Sokira Tanec" (axe dance), and "Medved'ku Tanec' (the bear dance) for the event. He also assisted David Dutko to prepare a beautiful Carpatho-Rusyn exhibit for the festival. The Rusyn participation was sponsored by St. Michael's American Carpatho-Russian Youth (ACRY) branch.
The artist Dmytro Stecko from Ternopil', Ukraine, exhibited 46 of his works from over the last 25 years on May 14 at the Ukrainian Canadian Art Foundation in Toronto. Stecko was born in 1943 in the village of Polonna, Sjanok county, in the Lemko Region of southeast Poland. In 1946 his family was resettled to Ternopil', where he still lives and works. His art is described as appearing monochromatic, yet comprising 'many layers of contrasting and complementary colors. His early works focused their themes on his native land, his mother and early childhood memories." Themes of his recent works are varied, from "examining historical events and persona to the helplessness of living in a post-Chornobyl world."
As every year on Memorial Day weekend, Rusyns has a quality, interesting display. This years illustrated characters and stories from Carpatho-Rusyn folk tales, C-RS members were entirely responsible for the display: Rich Custer researched the theme and wrote the pamphlets: Cathy Trichtinger and Cathy Silvestri set up the display; John Righetti, Sharon Chernick, Jerry Jumba, Cathy Trichtinger, George Lemak, Maria Silvestri, Keith Koshute, and Dave Felix staffed the display.
Once again Slavjane made a huge impression on the crowds, receiving the only standing ovation of the entire festival and making us all proud to be Rusyn! Way to go, Slavjane! Thanks to Larry Goga and the Rusin Association of Minnesota for loaning us the beautiful authentic Lemko style costume for Mykola Suhaj, the "Rusyn Robin Hood". Next year is the big 40th Annual Festival and it promises to be one of the best. Already we Rusyns are planning a really special show for the event, wtrich is moving back downtown to the David Lawrence Convention Center.
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Last modified on September 27 1997
URL:http://www.carpatho-rusyn.org/crs/america.htm
Greg Gressa [ggressa@carpatho-rusyn.org]
The Carpatho-Rusyn Knowledge Base