Dance for Ukraine
Program
Sunday, April 10th, 2022
Thank you for being a part of our efforts to raise funds and awareness toward the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine!
This evening features dance performances from the Greater Lansing Academy of Dance along with dancers from Oakland University and GLBC Elements performance group, as well as musical performances from Bryce Berry, Ben Clements, and the Someko Singers.
The program run time is approximately 90 minutes.
Entrance to the Kingdom of Shades
Choreography by Marius Petipa (La Bayadere), staging by Jim McEwan
Dancers: Anastasia Babayan, Lucy Thomas, Kate Frushour, Audrey Ramsey, Julia Scarpetta, Ava Anderson, CoCo Baraburiye, Calista Bever, Kaitlyn Chamberlain, Karina Jamison, Lucy Laird, Sophia Liu, Amber Naseef, Desdemona Prince, Lynnleigh Pugmire, Paulina Rivet, Elizabeth Tang, Kylie Wymer
Grant Us Peace
Composed by Bryce Berry
Lucy Thomas, soprano
Bryce Berry, piano
This is Lea
Oakland University
Choreography by Thayer Jonutz
Dancer: Lea Purrett
Bryce Berry, piano
Game Night at the Edge of the World
Elements
Choreography by Sophie Parks
Dancers: Claire Hardie, Bella Lyon-Callo, Riley Souza
"Game Night at the Edge of the World" is an exploration of connection within crisis, inspired by situations like​ spending hours in the basement playing games with family or friends during a tornado warning or playing tic-tac-toe with preschoolers during a lockdown drill to keep them quiet. In these moments, though looking outside is frightening, there is a sense of peace in the simple enjoyment of a game and basic human connection can become just the distraction you need to get you through.
What the World Needs Now
Choreography by Alyssa Mulligan
Dancers: Audrey Ramsey and Elizabeth Tang
Hammer and Nail (excerpt)
Oakland University
Choreography by Thayer Jonutz
Dancer: Thayer Jonutz
"​Hammer and Nail" is an evening length work that was inspired by Thayer’s
experience during the pandemic shutdown. Central to the theme was a decision for Thayer to
reroof his house and use his children as his construction crew. He told them stories as they
worked from his upbringing in a roofing construction family. The process of converting the old
roof to a new one became a powerful analogy for the rebuilding of his identity throughout the
devastation of the pandemic. This excerpt is the end section of the total work.
Tropotianka
Traditional Folk Dance arranged by Kailen Berry
Dancers : Monica Treadwell, Norah Thomas, Maddie Shaver, Elianna Cruz-Davis, Walter Hardy, Albert Hardy, Mollie Barnt, Julia Ortega, Franklin Naseef, Emily Furlong, Hannah Gentilozzi and Isabella Grabarek
Infliction
Choreography by Brayden Schmitt
Dancers: Anastasia Babayan, Kate Frushour, Audrey Ramsey, Ava Anderson, Amber Naseef, Julia Scarpetta, Calista Bever, Coco Baraburiye
Us, No, We, What?... OK.
Oakland University
Choreography by Thayer Jonutz
Dancers: Rebecca Otmanowski and Riley McClain
Sudden Elegy For the Lost
Composed by Bryce Berry
Kailen Berry, cello
Bryce Berry, piano
The Path They Told Me
Choreography by Anastasia Babayan
Dancers: Brayden Schmitt, Julia Scarpetta, Audrey Ramsey, Lucy Thomas, Ava Anderson, Elizabeth Tang, Anastasia Babayan and Kate Frushour
Earth Song
Someko Singers (Okemos High School)
​Mrs. Claire Bellamy, director
Music by Frank Ticheli
Singers: Members of Someko Singers (past and present)
Deni
Choreography by Riley Moyano
Dancers: Lucy Thomas, Kate Frushour, Ava Anderson, Audrey Ramsey, Julia Scarpetta, Anastasia Babayan and Brayden Schmitt
Together
Directed and Editted by Anastasia Babayan
Dancers: Brayden Schmitt, Lucy Thomas, Anastasia Babayan, Kate Frushour and Audrey Ramsey
In One Moment
Choreography by Jim McEwan
Dancers: Lucy Thomas, Anastasia Babayan and Brayden Schmitt
In the Meadow, a Red Kalyna
Ukranian folk song arranged by Ben Clements and Bryce Berry
Ben Clements, bass
Bryce Berry, piano
English Translation
In the meadow, there a red kalyna, has bent down low ,
For some reason, our glorious Ukraine, has been worried so.
And we'll take that red kalyna and we will raise it up,
And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey - hey, cheer up - and rejoice!
And we'll take that red kalyna and we will raise it up,
And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey - hey, cheer up - and rejoice!
Do not bend low, Oh red kalyna, You have a white flower.
Do not worry, glorious Ukraine, You have a free people.
And we'll take that red kalyna and will raise it up,
And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey - hey, cheer up - and rejoice!
And we'll take that red kalyna and will raise it up,
And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey - hey, cheer up - and rejoice!
Marching forward, our fellow volunteers, into a bloody fray,
For to free, our brother - Ukrainians, from hostile chains.
And we, our brother - Ukrainians, we will then liberate,
And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey - hey, cheer up - and rejoice!
And we, our brother - Ukrainians, we will then liberate,
And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey - hey, cheer up - and rejoice!
Oh in the field, of early spring wheat, there's a golden furrow,
Then began, the Ukrainian riflemen to, engage the enemy,
And we'll take, that precious, early wheat and will gather it,
And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey - hey, cheer up - and rejoice!
And we'll take, that precious, early wheat and will gather it,
And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey - hey, cheer up - and rejoice!
When the stormy winds blow forth from the wide steppes,
They will glorify, through out Ukraine, the Sich riflemen.
And we'll take the glory of the riflemen preserving it,
And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey - hey, cheer up - and rejoice!
And we'll take the glory of the riflemen preserving it,
And we, our glorious Ukraine, shall, hey - hey, cheer up - and rejoice!
Hopak!
Traditional Folk Dance, Choreography by Jim McEwan
Dancers: Anastasia Babayan, Lucy Thomas, Kate Frushour, Audrey Ramsey, Julia Scarpetta, Ava Anderson, CoCo Baraburiye, Vivian Goluska, Karina Jamison, Lucy Laird, Sophia Liu, Amber Naseef, Desdemona Prince, Paulina Rivet, Elizabeth Tang, Kylie Wymer, Evyatar Doron, Alexander Goluska, Daniel Newcombe, Brayden Schmitt
Thanks to Everyone who so generously donated their time, efforts, and energies to making this production possible!
​
​
Special thanks to
Okemos Choir Someko Singers
Oakland University
GLBC Elements
Ben Clements