"THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT"
In-Depth Ukrainian News, Analysis, and Commentary
"The Art of Ukrainian History, Culture, Arts, Business, Religion,
Sports, Government, and Politics, in Ukraine and Around the World"
RUSLANA WINS!
UKRAINE WINS AT EUROVISION SONG CONTEST!
100 Million Watch Song Contest in Europe
Biggest Pop Music Pageant of its Kind in the World
RUSLANA: "All of us are making a positive image of Ukraine. I want
my country to open up before you with friendship and hospitality," an
ecstatic Ruslana told a news conference after the show. [article two]
"THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT" Year 04, Number 81
Action Ukraine Coalition (AUC), Washington, D.C.
morganw@patriot.net, ArtUkraine.com@starpower.net
Washington, D.C.; Kyiv, Ukraine, SUNDAY, May 16, 2004
INDEX OF ARTICLES
"Major International News Headlines and Articles"
1. RUSLANA WINS! UKRAINE WINS!
COMMENTARY: E. Morgan Williams, Publisher and Editor
THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT
Washington, D.C., Sunday, May 16, 2004
2. UKRAINE WINS EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
Ruslana's Ukrainian Song "Wild Dances"
By Daren Butler, Reuters, Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, May 15, 2004
3. UKRAINE WINS EUROVISION
Ruslana hands Ukraine its first victory at the celebrated European event.
Agence France-Presse (AFP), Correspondents in Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, May 16, 2003
4. RUSLANA OF UKRAINE WINS EUROVISION
WITH SONG "WILD DANCES"
Inspired by the folk music and dances of highlanders
in the Carpathian Mountains
Associated Press, Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, May 16, 2004
5. POPULAR UKRAINIAN SINGER, COMPOSER, PRODUCER
Ruslana is "wild" energy, her song "Wild Dances"
EUROVISON.TV, May, 2004
6. SONG "WILD DANCE [S]" PERFORMED BY RUSLANA
Unique character of the picturesque land of the Hutsuls permeates the
song through the sounds of ethnical music instruments, elements of the
Hutsul traditional dance, Kolomyika, vivid exclamations 'Hey! Hey!' and
'dana-dana'.
EUROVISION.TV, May, 2004
7. RUSLANA'S DIKI TANTSY VIDEO
EUROVISION.TV, Ukrainian Song "Wild Dances" May, 2004
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THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 81 ARTICLE NUMBER ONE
Politics and Governance, Building a Strong, Democratic Ukraine
http://www.artukraine.com/buildukraine/index.htm
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1. RUSLANA WINS! UKRAINE WINS!
COMMENTARY: E. Morgan Williams, Publisher and Editor
THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT
Washington, D. C., Sunday, May 16, 2004
WASHINGTON - Ruslana Lyzichko led Ukraine to victory Saturday night
at the Eurovision Song Contest held in Istanbul, Turkey, with an
electrifying performance of her Ukrainian song "Wild Dances"
This was Ukraine's first victory in the Eurovision Song Contest and only
the second time Ukraine has participated. The Eurovision Song Contest is
the biggest music pageant of its kind in the world. 100 million people were
expected to watch the finals held Saturday night. Ukraine will now host
this major European event in May of 2005, of course for the first time.
This was a huge win for Ruslana and a major victory for Ukraine. Ruslana
is from western Ukraine and is obviously very proud of her heritage, her
country and sings in Ukrainian. Ruslana speaks out often about the
beauty, culture and arts of the Carpathian region of Ukraine and presents a
very visible, positive image of Ukraine whenever she speaks with the media
and performs her music and dance.
I had the great fortune to hear Ruslana perform at the 2003 Hutsul Festival
on Saturday evening, August 30, held in Vyshnytsya, Ukraine. It was amazing
to see the entire soccer stadium, where the performance was held, filled to
capacity with young people who were full of excitement and energy to hear
one of their own perform modern Ukrainian music at such a world-class level.
One could only feel good about the future of Ukraine that night in
Vyshnytsya hoping those young people would take that same energy and
excitement with them in the future as they work to build a strong,
independent, prosperous, post-genocidal and post-Soviet Ukraine, operating
under the rule-of-law with a large, private, market-driven economy,
totally integrated into Europe.
According to a Reuters article from Istanbul an ecstatic Ruslana said at a
news conference after the show, ""All of us are making a positive image of
Ukraine. I want my country to open up before you with friendship and
hospitality." "I would like you to forget about Chernobyl," she said,
referring to the 1986 nuclear accident which has long marred Ukraine's
image."
Reuters reported that when asked what would be the first thing she did after
returning to Kiev, Ruslana said: "I will do as Russell Crowe in (the
Hollywood blockbuster) 'Gladiator'. I will kneel in my homeland, take a
piece of Ukrainian earth and kiss it."
Ruslana will obviously, after this major victory, have many more
opportunities to speak out positively about Ukraine around Europe and the
world. She will also have a much larger audience, one in the millions,
before which to perform her exciting, new Ukrainian music and dance.
Ruslana will be an outstanding goodwill ambassador for her beloved Ukraine.
We all wish her much more success in the future and look forward to Ukraine
finally having an international goodwill ambassador, of the class as
Ruslana, on the international stage. An ambassador, of which, we all can be
very proud.
On Saturday night, May 22, 2004, in Istanbul, Turkey, Ruslana won and
Ukraine won, big time! (END)
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THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 81: ARTICLE NUMBER TWO
The Genocidal Famine in Ukraine 1932-1933, HOLODOMOR
Genocide Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/famineart/index.htm
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2. UKRAINE WINS EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
Ruslana's Ukrainian Song "Wild Dances"
By Daren Butler, Reuters, Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, May 15, 2004
ISTANBUL -- Ukraine won the Eurovision Song Contest Saturday,
delighting fans with an eye-catching mix of frenetic dancing, skimpy leather
costumes and passionate vocals in a song called "Wild Dance[s]."
Singer Ruslana, a cult figure in the former Soviet republic, was accompanied
by a group of dancers in warrior costumes intended to evoke the Carpathian
mountains.
"All of us are making a positive image of Ukraine. I want my country to open
up before you with friendship and hospitality," an ecstatic Ruslana told a
news conference after the show.
"I would like you to forget about Chernobyl," she said, referring to the
1986 nuclear accident which has long marred Ukraine's image.
The Eurovision Song Contest, hosted for the first time by Turkey, winner of
last year's event, attracts an annual worldwide audience of more than 100
million people.
With its victory Ukraine earns the right to stage the 50th Eurovision
Contest in 2005.
Asked what would be the first thing she did after returning to Kiev, Ruslana
said: "I will do as Russell Crowe in (the Hollywood blockbuster)
'Gladiator'. I will kneel in my homeland, take a piece of Ukrainian earth
and kiss it."
"Wild Dance[s]" was taken from her best-selling album of the same name,
which was the first ever to go platinum in Ukraine.
The song, sung partly in Ukrainian and partly in English, is described as a
modern take on traditional Ukrainian ethnic music based on ancient rhythms
and dances, mixing rock with ethnic dance music.
TALENT AND KITSCH
This year's Eurovision produced its usual mixed bag of talent, corny lyrics,
flamboyant performances and partisan voting which are part of the
competition's enduring popularity.
Turkey stood out from among the mixture of romantic ballads and disco
numbers with the youthful Athena, one of the country's best known bands,
who play a mixture of ska and punk music.
They won the loudest applause of the night from an enthusiastic local crowd
waving red and white Turkish flags.
Last year's winner Sertab Erener, accompanied by "whirling dervish" dancers,
launched the show with the song that won last year's contest in Riga,
Latvia.
The performance by Serbia and Montenegro, which landed second place,
began with a reed flute solo and included a violin solo with a strong Balkan
folk flavor.
Greek heart-throb Sakis Rouvas came in third.
Many countries set aside politics when awarding their votes. Turkey gave
high points to historic rival Greece and Croatia awarded its top marks to
Serbia and Montenegro, its ex-partners in the old Yugoslavia.
It was the biggest-ever competition with 36 countries taking part in a
two-stage event. Ten nations battled through from a qualifying round to
join 14 countries already in the final.
Just seven competed in the inaugural year of 1956.
Many established artists steer well clear of Eurovision fearing it will do
more harm than good to their reputation. But it has also produced superstars
like Sweden's Abba who won in 1974 with "Waterloo."
Security was tight for the event. Istanbul experienced four devastating bomb
blasts last November blamed on Islamist militants in which 61 people were
killed.
Next month, the city will host President Bush and other Western leaders for
a NATO summit. (END)
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http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5154884
PHOTO: Ukraine's entry Ruslana celebrates her win in the final of the 49th
Eurovision Song Contest in Abdi Ipekci Arena in Istanbul, May 15, 2004.
Photo by Fatih Saribas/Reuters
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THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 81: ARTICLE NUMBER THREE
Check Out the News Media for the Latest News >From and About Ukraine
Daily News Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/newsgallery.htm
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3. UKRAINE WINS EUROVISION
Ruslana hands Ukraine its first victory at the celebrated European Event
Agence France-Presse (AFP), Correspondents in Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, May 16, 2003
ISTANBUL - RUSLANA, of Ukraine, won the Eurovision song contest
today, handing her country its first victory at the celebrated event.
Dressed in leather costumes reminiscent of the Lord of the Rings and
wielding whips, Ruslana and her dancers offered a dazzling spectacle
inspired by ethnic traditions in the Carpathian mountains of western
Ukraine.
The charismatic brunette, one of Ukraine's top stars, grabbed the crown with
the song Wild Dance[s].
It secured 280 points from the televoting in the 36 participant countries,
in what was Ukraine's second only appearance in the 49-year-old pop and
rock song festival.
Ruslana's victory came as a reward for a well-organised and quite costly
publicity campaign, which saw her touring 14 countries ahead of the contest
to promote her tune, equal parts upbeat pop and ethnic music.
Jeljko Joksimovic, of Serbia and Montenegro, came second with a ballad
blending pop music and Balkan folk melodies.
Third was the previously favoured Greek heartthrob Sakis Rouvas, who
offered upbeat Latino pop. No one received the dreaded zero points this year
-like Britain did in 2003. (END)
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THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 81: ARTICLE NUMBER FOUR
Major Articles About What is Going on in Ukraine
Current Events Gallery: http://www.artukraine.com/events/index.htm
Become a financial sponsor of The Action Ukraine Program Fund
========================================================
4. RUSLANA OF UKRAINE WINS EUROVISION WITH
SONG "WILD DANCES"
Inspired by the folk music and dances of highlanders
in the Carpathian Mountains
Associated Press (AP), Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, May 16, 2004
ISTANBUL, Turkey --- Ruslana of Ukraine won the Eurovision Song
Contest with the song "Wild Dances" in a colorful performance inspired by
mountain folk music.
Ruslana beat out Zeljko Joksimovic and the Ad Hoc Orchestra of Serbia and
Montenegro, the first entry in 12 years from the country formerly known as
Yugoslavia.
Ruslana's performance -- inspired by the folk music and dances of
highlanders in the Carpathian Mountains -- included traditional instruments,
a fast dance routine mixed with acrobatic moves, flamboyant costumes of fur
and leather, and a background that included shooting flames.
Greece's Sakis Rouvas, the favorite in Europe's most publicized song
contest, took third.
More than 100 million viewers were expected to tune in to watch contestants
from 24 countries participating in the finals.
Bookmakers had largely pointed to Rouvas, whose performance of "Shake it!"
combines Greek rhythms and provocative dancing, as the favorite in the
contest. But Ruslana had been considered another top contender.
The win means that Ukraine will host the contest next year.
Sertab Erener, a classically trained soprano who shook her belly to win the
Eurovision contest for Turkey last year, opened Saturday's show with a
medley of her songs and dances that also included a performance by Turkey's
traditional whirling dervishes.
Security was tight following suicide attacks in Istanbul last November
blamed on al-Qaeda that killed 62 people. Scores of police were on guard
outside the venue and atop the ancient city walls across the street.
The street in front of the downtown Abdi Ipekci arena, where the contest was
held Saturday night, was closed to traffic. Police also stopped a group of
about 100 people from approaching the venue to stage a demonstration
protesting next month's NATO summit in Istanbul.
Created in 1956 by the Geneva-based European Broadcasting Union, Eurovision
has become one of Europe's most popular annual music events and the biggest
pop music pageant of its kind in the world.
The Swedish rock group Abba, which won 30 years ago with the song
"Waterloo," is the best-known group to win the competition and go on to a
major international career. (END)
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BBC Story LINK: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3715907.stm
CNN LINK to Ruslana Story:
http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/05/15/eurovision.song.contest.ap/
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THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 81: ARTICLE NUMBER FIVE
Exciting Opportunities in Ukraine: Travel and Tourism Gallery
http://www.ArtUkraine.com/tourgallery.htm
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5. POPULAR UKRAINIAN SINGER, COMPOSER, PRODUCER
Ruslana is "wild" energy. Her song "Wild Dances"
EUROVISON.TV, May, 2004
Ruslana is a popular Ukrainian singer, composer, producer. She has two
musical educations, with big experience to work in show-biz.
Her potential is shown through her hardworking, expression and drive,
powerful vocal abilities and exclusive vocal manner, originality of style
and professionalism of performance, bright ethnic performances and
unbelievable energy, which can move full stadiums during the concerts.
Allways unpredictable, "wild" Ruslana, always experimenting and never using
old technologies - is highly individual image, bright well-known brand.
Ruslana is "wild" energy.
She is not the result of the producers work. She not only composes and
arranges her music, she also produces her ideas and directs her videos.
MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS:
Album "Diki tantsy" sold in more than 170 000 copies and awarded "Platinum
disc".
Megaclip "I know" - is first video shoot to be presented un modern cinemas.
Sound format Dolby Digital 5.1.Picture format High Definition. Creating
group - 250 specialists from 7 countries, 10 helicopters, 4 kilometres of
tape, acoustic concert at the waterfall.
Christmas music films "Last Christmas of 90th", "Christmas legends", "On
Christmas to Lvovskiy"
Video "Svitanok" - best video of 1998
Participation from Ukraine at BBC project "Today 2000"
First unique concert with symphonic orchestra at festival "Tavriyskie igry"
Art project "Tour on Ukrainian castles"
MAIN AWARDS:
Laureat of All-Ukrainian festival of modern song and pop music "Chervona
Ruta";
Grand-prix of all-Ukrainian TV festival of pop music "Melody";
Grand-prix of "Slavyanski Bazaar" international festival;
Winner in nomination of "Music star of the year" of regional show
"Krishtalivski liv"
Diploma winner of national show concert "Song of the year" in Ukrainian pop
music
Grand prix "Zolotaya Era" for film "Dzvinki viter of Olesskogo zamku" in
nomination "Best film of the year";
"Golden Zhar-Ptitsa" - winner in nominations "Best song of the year" -:
"Svitanok" and "Best video of the year" - "Svitanok";
Person of the 1999 in nomination "Music star of the year".
Laureate of First All-Ukrainian program "Person of the year 2000" as "Music
star"
"Platinum disc" for the album "Diki Tantsy", awarded by independent
association of recording companies (Kiev-London) on December 17, 2003.
In December 2002 Ruslana signed contract with EMI label and started work
on the album "Diki Tantsy"
After some English specialists were interested in her music she received
invitation to British studio of Peter Gabriel "Real World".
On June, 11, 2003 album of Ruslana was released under the title "Diki
Tantsy" - it is compilation of ethnic material on basis of ancient motives
and rhymes of Hutsul nation and modern pop and rock music.
On 3rd October 2003 this album reached Platinum - 100,000 copies were
sold.
For now in Ukraine and other CIS countries where pirate audiomarket
prevails, no album has reached this mark.
On 17th of December this fact was OFFICIALLY confirmed and Ruslana was
awarded "Platinum disc" during ceremony of "Ukraine music premium - 2003"
Prize was awarded by Regional Manager on Eastern Europe of IFPI Stephan
Kravchek (Brussels).
The success of the album is not the only win for Ruslana but the start of
the fight against audio pirates in the country. During September, 2003 Comp
Music/EMI in collaboration with IFPI took serious measures against pirated
copies of Ruslana's album.
Awarding of first ever "Platinum disc" is not only a personal achievment of
musician but is even positive for the image of whole country, which
celebrates entering of Ukraine show-biz to legal zone, the creation of a
high quality national music product.
Since 24.11.03 till 4.01.04 Ruslana conducted tour in 25 cities of Ukraine.
On 10.01.2004 more than 170000 copies were sold according to the
CompMusic, it hold sales leadership since July 2003. (END)
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LINK with photos: http://mainhill.wallst.ru/eurovision/2004/ukr.htm
LINK with photos: www.ruslana.com.ua
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THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 81: ARTICLE NUMBER SIX
The Story of Ukraine's Long and Rich Culture
Ukrainian Culture Gallery: http://www.ArtUkraine.com/cultgallery.htm
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6. UKRAINIAN SONG "WILD DANCES" PERFORMED BY RUSLANA
Unique character of the picturesque land of the Hutsuls
permeates the song through the sounds of ethnical music
instruments, elements of the Hutsul traditional dance, Kolomyika,
vivid exclamations 'Hey! Hey!' and 'dana-dana'.
EUROVISION.TV, Ukrainian Song "Wild Dances" May, 2004
Just maybe I'm crazy,
The world spins round and round and round
shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na
shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na
I want you to want me as I dance
Round and round and round
shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na
shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na
Forever and ever go, go, go wild dancers!!
Day-na-day-na Wanna be loved
Day-na Gonna take my wild chances
Day-na-day-na Freedom above
Day-na-da-na-da I'm wild 'n' dancing
Hey!
Napevno
Daremno
Bula ya nadto chemna
(Desire, inside two / My head spins round and round and round)
shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na
shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na
Dlya tebe
Dlya sebe
Zastelyu tsile nebo
(I want you to want me / So I dance round and round and... )
Hey, shi-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na
Hey, shi-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na
Bez zhalyu zapalyu go, go, go wild dancers!!
(Forever and ever Go, go, go, wild dancers)
Day-na-day-na Wanna be loved
Day-na Gonna take my wild chances
Day-na-day-na Freedom above
Day-na-da-na-da I'm wild 'n' dancing
He-e-e-ey !
Dance forever, come and be mine,
Dance together, till the end of time
Dance together go, go, go wild dancers!!
Day-na-day-na Wanna be loved
Day-na Gonna take my wild chances
Day-na-day-na Freedom above
Day-na-da-na-da I'm wild 'n' dancing
INFORMATION ABOUT THE UKRAINIAN SONG "WILD DANCES"
"We have been creating the Song so that it would sound like an anthem",
Ruslana says. "Not like an anthem of a particular country", she adds, "but
as an anthem of freedom and of those people that strive to be free. By this
song and its philosophy we are calling upon the people to be real, free and
unconquerable, like the elements of nature, to strive for motion, to go
forward and break stereotypes.
"The Wild Dances" is a modern and a dancing hit. At the same time the
song possesses a lot of ethnical features. Unique character of the
picturesque land of the Hutsuls permeates the song through the sounds of
ethnical music instruments, elements of the Hutsul traditional dance,
Kolomyika, vivid exclamations 'Hey! Hey!' and 'dana-dana'.
At the same time, in my opinion, the sound gets more 'mature': it becomes
heavier, stronger, richer and gets close to real rock. Myself and Iryna
Mazur, the director of Life ballet group, when staging the dancing part of
the song used really 'wild' movements: very frequent jumps, abrupt curtseys,
using tambourines and whips in dancing etc.........
The majority of the viewers did not understand a word in Ukrainian, some of
them did not even want to know anything about Ukraine itself, but they would
all of the sudden start jumping and getting crazy in the Wild Dances'
rhythms! This convinced us in the fact that the new song will have to be
even more energetic. So it has come out like this." (END)
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LINK with photos: http://mainhill.wallst.ru/eurovision/2004/ukr.htm
LINK with photos: www.ruslana.com.ua
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THE ACTION UKRAINE REPORT-04, No. 81: ARTICLE NUMBER SEVEN
The Story of Ukraine's Long and Rich Culture
Ukrainian Culture Gallery: http://www.ArtUkraine.com/cultgallery.htm
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7. RUSLANA'S DIKI TANTSY VIDEO
EUROVISION.TV, Ukrainian Song "Wild Dances" May, 2004
Director - Evgeni Mitrofanov (Moscow, Kiev, Los Angeles, director of
previous Ruslana videos "Kolomiyka" and "Oi zagrai mi muzychenku"
Producers: Ruslana, Aleksandr Ksenofontov
Most interesting details about the shooting:
"The shooting took place in the abandoned building of the Ice Palace, which
was at once renamed 'the Iceberg Palace" by the members of Ruslana's crew
because no heating equipment brought with Ruslana could heat the cold air of
the huge building to a comfortable level. The building was 'decorated' with
sheer concrete and windows without glass. Despite the script of the
video-clip, which provided for constant burning fire in large barrels,
torches on the stage, wireworks and even a real military flame thrower, only
the Wild Dances could help people to ultimately warm up."
"The mass scenes of the video-clip involved about a thousand (!) students of
the Kiev National University of Culture and Arts and cadets of Kiev
University of Internal Affairs."
"Large-scale decorations were erected in the Ice Palace specifically for
Ruslana's video-clip. They constituted a special concert stage designed in
fantasy style"
"While on the stage, Ruslana and the dancers of the Life ballet had to
counteract a real hurricane that was created by a real aviation propeller
installed on a wingless plane delivered directly from the
Kiev airport"
"Another picturesque sight in the video-clip was presented by the members of
organization Tryzub (Trident), who presented a special type of Ukrainian
martial art with the use of Hutsul axes and whips"
"The costumes and decorations were developed by famous designers, artists,
jewelry-makers, and ethnographers. As a result, people on the stage
possessed a new "wild", a bit military and sexual image, which will be seen
by all Eurovision viewers very soon.
"What will be Ruslana Eurovision entry like? Original music style.
Style that can be characterized as "drive-ethno-dance" (it is difficult to
give full definition because it unites different elements) filled with
national colour which Europe has never seen.
Musical style of "Diki Tantsy" includes: rock-music drive; energy of
modern dance-music. colour of rhymes of highland part of Ukraine
Elements of Carpatian colour: melodics of Gutsul nation, drive, mysticism
and energy (dances, rituals, costumes).
Ruslana has created her original style in music (rhyme, melody), dance
(modern dance based on ancient Carpatian dances), clothes.
Image
Image of Ruslana - exclusive, original, exotic image, which includes
original vocal manner (ethnic melisms, authentic "kugikanians" and shouts).
Drive, energetic manner of Ruslana will show temperament of highlands.
Song
Song was first composed to be included to "Diki Tantsy" album. But after
it was discovered that all space in the album was already filled it was
transferred to "Diki Tantsy 2" album, which will be issued in 2004.
Part of the text will be performed in Ukranian language with Carpatian
colours, refrain will be sang in English.
Composition right now has no final sound decision, and a lot of musical
experiments are underway. "Fair" version will be recorded in cooperation
with well-known Russian arrangers, sound designers and producers. Thanks to
EMI company also best arrangers of UK and Sweden will take part in making
final sound, who already have experience to work with Atomic Kitten,
Brainstorm, Geri Halliwell...
Now we can just confirm that composition will unite best sound decisions of
"Diki Tantsy" style (which were discovered and developed by Ruslana),
uniting rhymes and sounds of the highlands, expressive highland screams, and
modern dance drive.
Video
Ruslana's team has experience of producing high quality video - for example
video for the song "Znayu ya - I know".
Original idea, new technologies, exclusive special effects (developed
specially for this video), special montage, shooting in Carpates, will make
this video European quality one.
Video will follow scene image of Ruslana, which will include ancient mystic
Gutsul rituals, and beautiful views of Carpatian mountains
Show
Ruslana will be assisted at the Eurovision by dance ballet show "Zhittya -
Life".
Performance will be sintez of modern art and national rhymes. Authors are
looking to get rid of the border between ancient and modern, to develop
dance style which will be hit at all discos. Show will be attractive first
of all for modern active young people.
Ruslana performance will be developed as a show, uniting music, dances,
costumes, hair style. Costumes by Roksolana Bogutskaya, conduction of
performance by Irina Mazur.
Main part of the song performance will be best moments from Ruslana two-hour
show, made for all Ukranian tour to support her platinum album.
Stage performance will be even more wild than viewers are get used to. Based
on even more ancient, just discovered, Carpatian rituals, which now will be
worked out to be suitable for the whole concept of the show.
More expeditions to Carpatys will be conducted, and other time will be
devoted to studio work, rehearsal and promoting.
Costumes
Costumes of Ruslana and dance group will include best solutions of "Diki
Tantsy" show (leather, incrustations, metal parts). All details of the stage
dresses will be specially prepared. Designers and juwellers are already
working under it, and some details will be specially prepared by ethnic
masters of Carpats who are still keeping ancient secrets. Hair style, body
paintings, representing unique Carpatian culture will be added.
Promo tour: Promo tour will include 2 parts:
All Ukranian promotion interactive show where every citizen of Ukraine
will have it's chance to give his suggestions to Ruslana how to perform
on ESC. Exchange of opinions, vioting on different questions will be done
in mass-media (TV, Radio, Internet).
Accoustic concert during show of M1 TV channel "Your format" will take
place. Same time dance show will be presented and interactive discussion
will take place
European part will include promo tour of Ruslana in 10 European countries
(UK, Sweden, Poland, ex-Yugoslavia countries, Baltic countries, Russia,
Germany).
Promotion will include include concerts, club shows, rotation of songs and
videos of Ruslana on TV and radio, different talk-shows etc. Ruslana tour
will be made in cooperation with Ruslana's EMI label.
This part of promo campaign is not only for popularization of Ruslana but
for promotion of Ukrainian culture in Europe.
Information - Ruslana's press center
Photo by Andrei Avdoshin, "Objective" media - group [see link below].
07/02 Due to overwhelming response I should declare at this site that song
that was claimed to be Ukranian ESC entry and appeared here and there over
internet today - is remix of Ruslana's song from her platinum album "Diki
Tantsy" released in June 2003, and called "Oi zigrai mi musichenku", thus
this is not her ESC entry and is not eligible for the contest in any case.
Ruslana's entry will be more similar to track 4 of the same album called
"Arkan" and will be performed mostly in English.07/02 . Ruslana Lyzhichko is
confirmed as Ukrainian participant for ESC 2004, this was confirmed at
special conference at National Television of Ukraine led by president of NTU
Alexandr Savenko and Ruslana.
Mr. Savenko wished female singer all the best and noted that he hoped that
Ukrainian national expressive melodism can change European points of view.
We're wery optimistic about our participation, and I'm ready to go to
Eurovision now. The only countries I'm afraid of are Balkans, because their
style sometimes is the same as our, said singer.
Ruslana pointed out that she will cover all expences herself, she has her
own advertising company and she noted that she can well organize her
promotion and costumes.
Alexandr Savenko mentioned that second candidate which was discussed
was another female singer Ani Lorak.
They also noted that song is almost ready, it's chorus is supposed to be
sung in English but song in whole will express national colour. Tytle is
supposed to be "Dikiye tantsy" (Wild dances). She told that authors of the
song is whole Carpatian culture. This song was not included into same titled
album, but will be included into album Dikiye Tantsy 2 to be issued in 2004.
Now singer is going to start promo tour which will cover 10 countries: UK,
Sweden, Poland, ex-Yugoslavia, Baltics, Russia and Germany.
Special show is going to start on NTU "Help Ruslana to prepare for
Eurovision" where everyone can advice Ruslana how she should prepare for
the contest. (END)
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LINK with photos: http://mainhill.wallst.ru/eurovision/2004/ukr.htm
LINK with photos: www.ruslana.com.ua
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