STAMFORD — Lyub Kovbel of Stamford was one of a dozen children rehearsing traditional folk dances of the Ukraine region for a Sunday afternoon performance for Ukrainian-American festival-goers at St. Basil's Seminary.
Hyrhoryi Momot, choreographer for the group, Kalynonka Ensemble of Stamford, led the children through the rigorous high steps and spins, stopping the music when a flourish fell out of time.
"I dance at all different Ukrainian festivals," said Kovbel, 11, who has been dancing since he was 4. "I've been doing it all my life."
Hundreds of Ukrainian-Americans and other residents of the region came Sunday to the 43rd annual Connecticut State Ukrainian Day Festival at St. Basil's on Glenbrook Road to enjoy traditional ethnic foods, such as kielbasa, cabbage, borscht and potato pyrogies and take in traditional music, dancing and culture.
The $10 entrance fee benefited the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Stamford.
After an outdoor liturgy celebrated by the Most Rev. Paul Chomnycky, the Eparch of Stamford, a long line formed for lunch while a D.J. blasted modern Ukrainian music and others browsed a midway of tables selling Ukrainian Catholic religious artworks and collectibles, traditional clothes, as well as T-shirts, trinkets and toys from their home country.
Oleg Petsukh, 33, of Stamford, said he and other Ukrainian immigrants come to the festival every year and that the widespread Ukrainian community in Connecticut has made it easy to teach American-born children their language and traditions.
He said his 5-year-old daughter, who is taught to speak Ukrainian at home, will enroll at a Ukrainian school at St. Basil's Seminary for language and cultural instruction.
"Preserving our culture is considered very important," Petsukh said. "I've found the community in Connecticut is so tight-knit I don't really miss home."
Later in the afternoon, attendees enjoyed traditional Ukrainian vocal and instrumental music performed by Anna Bachynska, and the Halychany Band of New York, a five-piece ensemble, and the vocal duo Pavlishnyn Sisters.
The Ukrainian Museum and Library on the first floor of the Quintard House was opened for viewing after lunch. The museum displays a large collection of Eastern European art, in addition to traditional Ukrainian clothing, musical instruments, crafts and historic books.
Victoria Burshtein, 55, of Stamford, said the festival has become a high point of each summer, an opportunity to immerse in the sounds and tastes of home among fellow transplanted Ukrainians. Burshtein and her husband, Solomon, immigrated to the United States from Vinnitsa, Ukraine, in 1994.
Her favorite traditional food are potato pyrogies with cherry topping, she said, and she usually buys at least one item to hang on a wall in her family home.
"I just try to take in all the spirit and culture of the Ukrainian people and those days in my childhood," said Burshtein, who works at Macy's in Stamford. "The food, the songs, the spirit of Ukraine bring a big joy to my heart."
Staff writer Martin B. Cassidy can be reached at martin.cassidy@scni.com or at 203-964-2264.
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