Vsi: The Podcast

The Axios Men’s Ensemble is touring their Juno Award-winning piece, Ukrainian War Requiem, across Canada. We chatted with Steven Brese of Axios about how the project came to be, the stories behind the music, and what it means to share the work with audiences across the country.What Else You’ll Hear- What it was like working with Grammy nominee Benedict Sheehan- How Ukrainian traditions shaped the project- Hidden “Easter eggs” for you to find when listening to the album- A preview of what you’ll hear at the show!Resources- Buy tickets to Axios Men’s Ensemble performing in a city near you- Stay up to date with Axios (Instagram, Facebook, website)- Listen to the Ukrainian War Requiem on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or anywhere you stream musicMusic- Thank you to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song

It’s the ultimate Ukrainian dance question: how can we keep Ukrainian dancing with healthy knees and happy hips for as long as we can? In this episode, we sit down with Saskatoon’s Dr. Kristen Dudeck — chiropractor, massage therapist, and lifelong Ukrainian dancer — to explore what it really means to build stronger, healthier dancers. She gives tips for all ages that you can put into practice today.What Else You’ll Hear- Dr. Kristen’s career journey that’s taken her across the continent and her dance journey that’s taken her across the world- The biggest blocks dancers are facing before getting to the next level- How Dr. Kristen came up with the coaching program of our dreams: The Dance ApothecaryResources- Follow Dr. Kristen on Instagram- Stay up to date or book a session with The Dance Apothecary (Instagram, website)Music- Thank you to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song

It’s spring, which means it’s Ukrainian dance festival season! In this episode, we chat with Vanessa Wiebe, Festival Coordinator for the Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Festival, which is celebrating its 39th event this year in its home of Edmonton. We talk about how the festival has evolved since its start, the importance of dance festivals to young dancers, instructors/choreographers, and the Ukrainian community in general, and the impact of celebrating Ukrainian culture through dance.What Else You’ll Hear- Vanessa’s, Hannah’s, and Kaitlin’s favourite festival moments- The landscape of Ukrainian dance in Canada- How dance festivals can continue to shift and evolve- What it takes to run a successful Ukrainian dance festivalResources- Follow the Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Festival on Facebook and Instagram.Music- Thank you to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song

Brian Cherwick is an absolute legend — the musician, one of the talented members of The Kubasonics, is an encyclopedia of knowledge when it comes to Ukrainian music and traditions. In this episode, he shares how he got to where he is today, what it was like learning from musical masters in Ukraine, the inspiration behind what he does, and interesting tidbits about traditional Ukrainian instruments.What Else You’ll Hear- Stories from his time living in Ukraine- How he keeps learning, even after all these years- Drymba tips and tricks- A very special mini performanceResources- Follow The Kubasonis on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.Music- Thank you to Brian for playing us a couple tunes!

You’re in for a real treat with two out of three Picklyk siblings on this episode of Vsi! Darian Picklyk shares his story on how he made his way from the Ukrainian dance studio to the world stage of volleyball — the former University of Winnipeg player now plays for the Canadian national men’s volleyball team. He offer lots of tips for dancers on how to balance multiple activities while showing up as your best self. What Else You’ll Hear- Why athletes make amazing dancers, and vice versa- The benefits of playing multiple sports- Darian’s top wellness tips - How to think like an athlete- Some nicknames to call Darian if you’re lucky enough to meet (or know) himResources- Follow Darian’s life on Instagram- Stay up to date with Darian’s volleyball journey through Volleyball Canada (Facebook, Instagram)- See when Darian hits the stage next with Selo Ukrainian Dancers (Facebook, Instagram) Music- Thank you to Joryj Kłoc for letting us use “Poltavśkyj Sotnyk” as Vsi’s theme song