Ruslana, International pop star,Eurovision winner returns to USA with concert

Aug. 20, 2010 - PRLog -- The UNF is excited to announce that Ruslana, Ukraine’s top pop music star and Eurovision winner 2004, is returning to Soyuzivka Heritage Center (216 Foordmore Rd, Kerhonkson, New York 12446; 845-626-5641; www.soyuzivka.com) to take part in a special Charity benefit  concert, on Labor Day weekend, Sunday ,Sep.t 5, 2010 in Kerhonkson, New York, in the beautiful Shawangunk mountains. She is a favorite of audiences in all over Europe, from Russia to Great Britain.

Last year, an enthusiastic crowd of over 6000 were thrilled to hear Ruslana in an open-air concert at Soyuzivka during the Ukrainian Cultural Festival.  The audience exploded in such passionate applause and fervent shouts after each song, encoring Ruslana and her ensemble again and again.  Ruslana vowed to return to Soyuzivka.  And so she returns to help Soyuzivka in its fund-raising efforts.  The Ukrainian National Foundation, Inc. and Soyuzivka will host A WEEKEND CHARITY BENEFIT GALA at the Soyuzivka Heritage Center in Kerhonkson, NY to benefit this beloved culturally “gem of the Catskills”, under the heading, “RUSLANA FOR SOYUZIVKA”!

Her winning single and subsequent album “Wild Dances” saw widespread acceptance in over twenty-five countries. For ninety-seven weeks Ruslana dominated fourteen different charts throughout an amazed Europe. In the Ukraine alone, the album achieved five times platinum status, making her the first recording artist to domestically sell 500,000 copies of an album. Shortly thereafter Ruslana received the prestigious World Music Award in Las Vegas as the top selling Ukrainian artist in the world. Gold Record awards and more chart successes followed in countries around the world.  Her music is unique, and for those fortunate enough to attend a Ruslana live show, their experience is profound. Together with a team of artists, designers, dancers and musicians, Ruslana will create a mythical atmosphere where Ukrainian melodies, dynamic rhythms, colors and movement collide to create something out of this world.  Ruslana is also the face of Garnier hair color in Ukraine and participated in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV.

Sunday night, September 5, 2010, Ruslana and her eight member troupe of dancers will star in a gala benefit concert for Soyuzivka at 8PM on the main open air outdoor stage in an all new show, featuring hits from her new CD.  Headlining with Ruslana is the premier Ukrainian folk dance troupe in the USA, the Syzokryli Dance Ensemble from New York.  The Admission gate fee is $25.00. Special parking on the Soyuzivka main grounds is available on a first come first serve basis for $20.00. A shuttle will available throughout the day between Hudson Valley and Soyuzivka.  Rooms are still available at the Hudson Valley, tel. 845-626-8888. In case of rain, the “Ruslana for Soyuzivka” concert will be held at the Manhattan Theater at the Hudson Valley Resort, 5400 Granite Rd, Kerhonkson, NY.

A whole stream of entertainment and activities are planned for the entire weekend. Due to the popularity of the tented beer garden, which debuted at the Ukrainian Cultural Festival this summer, Soyuzivka is bringing it back for Labor Day weekend. Featured music throughout the weekend include the bands: “Grupo Yuri", a phenomenal group of musicians led by violin virtuoso Yuri Turchyn in a blend of World Beat, Latin and Jazz; “Svitanok”, a traditional Ukrainian dance band,  “Hrim”, the ever-popular Ukrainian  favorite of our youth.  Soyuzivka is bringing in another special guest band in their East coast debut, “Ephyra”, hard solid Ukrainian rock band from Chicago.  Attendees will be able to enjoy delicious traditional foods at the tented food court. A select number of vendors will offer guests a diverse and unique sampling of Ukrainian arts and crafts.  

Soyuzivka Heritage Center is the hub of Ukrainian-American community—a unique place Ukrainian-Americans come together to learn about their culture and share it with the American public. One of UNF’s missions, as the non-profit, charitable arm of the Ukrainian National Association, (which was established in 1893) is to help subsidize the programs which promote and preserve the unique Ukrainian heritage through children heritage camps, workshops, seminars and musical festivals which are held at the Soyuzivka Heritage Center.  The demand for children’s programs have increased at a remarkable rate over the past three years, as we witnessed a resurgence of interest in Ukraine from second, third and fourth generation Americans of Ukrainian descent.  Instilling pride in youth about their heritage is key.  The UNF’s guiding principles echo those of America’s famous author, John Steinbeck, who once stated, “How will our children know who they are if they don’t know where they came from?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXgaOTOCSuU



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Ukrainian National Foundation, Inc. established in 1992, is the charitable arm of the Ukrainian National Association, a fraternal society established in 1893 to serve the Slavic and Ukrainian immigrant communities. Its mission is to promote and preserve the unique culture. UNF helps subsidizes the many cultural programs and children's camps at the Soyuzivka Heritage Center--which strives to instill pride in the youth of their culture and heritage.