The Soul of Lehenda

An insight into Lehenda Ukrainian Dance Company Interview with Lehenda Artistic Director, Melanie Moravski Dechnicz, Merited (Performing) Artist of Ukraine

Filmed in 2022 this video interview was made for the show 'Ukrainian Soul, Australian Soil'

Video production: Edit Life Media, Ethan Berends

The Sound of "Kyiv". Video interview with the composer of "Kyiv", Taras Terletskyy

Video interview with the composer of "Kyiv", Taras Terletskyy

Filmed in 2022 this video interview was made for the show 'Ukrainian Soul, Australian Soil'

Taras is a professional music composer from Ukraine. He has worked with many theatres such as Ukrainian Drama in New York (US), Zankovetska Theatre in Lviv (UA), and composed the piece Kyiv' for Lehenda Ukrainian Dance Company. He has also worked on many video game projects.

Video production: Edit Life Media, Ethan Berends

The war in Ukraine and the role of culture in its fight for freedom 

An interview with Stefan Romaniw, OAM

Filmed in 2022 this video interview was made for the show 'Ukrainian Soul, Australian Soil'

Mr. Stefan Romaniw OAM currently holds the position of Executive Director of Community Languages Australia. He has served terms as Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission under both Governments in Victoria. He has also served as Chairman of the Victorian Government's Australia Day Committee (Victoria). He is the First Vice President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) and Co-Chair of the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO).

He holds the position of Chair of the UWC International Committee for Recognition of Holodomor as Genocide and Chair of the UWC International Religious Affairs Committee. Currently, he serves as Chairman or serves in a leadership role on a number of committees and organizations within broader Australian and Ukrainian communities.

Video production: Edit Life Media, Ethan Berends

Inside Lehenda

Meet Lehenda Company dancers, and The Lehenda School teachers and students.

Alex Dechnicz: Production Manager | Lehenda Company Dancer | Teacher - The Lehenda School
Daniel Denley: Student - The Lehenda School
Andrew Bernyk: Lehenda Company Dancer
Anhelina and Viktoria Synytsia: Students - The Lehenda School
Eliza Mignot: Lehenda Company Dancer
Hanna Lazarieva: Teacher - The Lehenda School | Lehenda Company Dancer

Video production: Edit Life Media, Ethan Berends

Oj u Luzi Chervona Kalyna. Interview with Professor Volodymyr Holovko and Symon Kohut

An interview with Professor Volodymyr Holovko, Merited Artist of Ukraine and Symon Kohut

Filmed in 2022 this video interview was made for the show 'Ukrainian Soul, Australian Soil'

Professor Volodymyr Holovko, Merited Artist of Ukraine

Professor Volodymyr Holovko's distinguished career commenced in 1971 after completing the Lviv National Conservatory.He not only became a conductor of various choirs but also established new choirs and lectured at famous schools of music in Lviv. His career included the establishment of a male choir "Blahovist" at the church of Saint Archangel Michael in Lviv and also conducted the choir at the Seminary of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Lviv. In 2000, his career continued in Melbourne Australia as the conductor of the Cathedral Choir of Ss Peter and Paul, The CYM choir "Cheremosh", the establishment of the "Borysfen" quartet and the male choir "Homin" in Noble Park.

Symon Kohut is the grandson of WW2 Ukrainian refugees. He grew up in the close knit Ukrainian diaspora community inheriting its legacy of language and culture and he has continued his involvement as a youth leader and choir conductor over the past twenty-five years. As a singer and conductor he has led various community and church ensembles performing Ukrainian songs and Eastern Christian sacred music over the past fifteen years, most recently collaborating with Gunditjmara singer-songwriter Richard Frankland on a forthcoming song called Soldier Blue and Gold.

Video production: Edit Life Media, Ethan Berends