My student film from 2010

Kozak Mating Dance from Amber Holowaychuk on Vimeo.

Sheridan College 4th year graduate film.

A Ukrainian cossack and his lover are happy together before he leaves to defend her - then discovers upon his return that she has taken up with another man!
The story is told through Ukrainian folk dance to a Ukrainian folk song Розпрягайте, хлопці, коні (Unhitch the Horses, Boys).
Film by Amber Gail Holowaychuk (www.ambergail.com)

Music by Bohdan Slavutych Jr.

Sung by Nadine Veroba and Bohdan Slavutych Jr.


All animation was done digitally in Digicel Flipbook 6 for Mac. Just my laptop and my tablet and me on a couch for 8 months!


Lyrics translated-


Unhitch the horses, boys
And lay down and relax
As I go into the green orchard
To dig an orchard well

Chorus:
Marusya* - one, two, three - kalyna**
The dark-haired girl who picks orchard berries.<

I know, I know, dear girl
How I have offended you
Because I spent all of last night
Exchanging words with another

Chorus x2

She is not yet a fully grown lady
And is still young in years
Her dark hair, braided, reaches her belt
And the braid contains a darling pale blue ribbon

Chorus

* Marusya is a common girls name.
** Kalyna is the viburnum opulus, a local plant which has cultural symbolic significance. In this song its use makes reference to virginal beauty. Historically, young women promised to plant kalyna on the graves of cossacks who died in battle.