Improving the World... One Interaction At A Time.
A Performers Guide to Cultural Interactions
By William Draven
As an actor at a major motion picture studio, and theme park in Hollywood, as well as a magician I frequently get the opportunity to entertain for from all over the world. A year ago or so a document was released within our entertainment department that outlined different countries, and some good information you can use to create meaningful, lasting encounters with their people.
I immediately saw the advantage of this information for the magician community because what are we if not entertainers? We can use just about any tool at our disposal to help create that one magic moment with our audience that can make it even that much more memorable. So I got permission to share the information with you. Of course this project will take some time to post up, so I'll be updating this based upon two factors. The first being how well received, and appreciated it is from you the community, and the second how relevant the community feels this information is as applied to their lives. That is to say if not encouraged, I won't keep it up. Otherwise, I'll post new threads titled: "Improving The World: {country name}" that that specific file relates to.
Without any further delay, I bring you our next country: Ukraine
Improve the World: Ukraine
Country: Ukraine
Continental Location: Eastern Europe
What They Call Themselves: Ukrainian
Primary Language: Ukrainian
Secondary Language: Russian
Prominent Cities: Kiev [capital], Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Odessa, Sevastapol,
Famous/ Historical Sites: Saint Sophia Cathedral (Kiev); Potemkin stairs (Odessa).
Currency: Hryvina
Starter Phrases in Phonetic Ukrainian:
Welcome: Laskavo proschmo (las-kav-Oh PROSE-im-oh)
Hello: Vitayu (Vit-EYE-you)
Goodbye: Do pobacennja (Doh po-BA-zheen-yah)
Thank you: Diakuju (YAH-koo-you)
Cultural Notes:
Prominent People/ Celebrities: Milla Jovovich (Model/Actress, “Resident Evil”, “Fith Element”); Mila Kunis (Actress, “That 70’s Show”), Oksana Biaul (Olympic Gold medalist 1994 figure skating); Sergey Bubka (Olympic pole vaulting legend); Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko (champion boxers); Jack Palance (Ukrainian/ American actor, born Volodymyr Palahnyuk).
-Ukraine is the largest country existing solely in Europe. It is bordered to the south by the Black Sea.
-The Ukraine was once part of the Soviet Union (the former USSR). They gained independence in 1991.
-Ukraine has its own space program and is a builder of spacecraft.
-The tradition of the Easter egg (known as “pyansky”) has its roots in Ukraine.
-A well-known regional dish is Chicken Kiev, similar to the French Chicken Cordon Bleu.
-The Ukraine is also home to “borshch” the classic red beet soup that gives the “Borscht Belt” of comedy its name.
-The national soccer team made its debut at the 2006 World Cup Finals.
-Ukrainians also fared well in boxing, where the brothers Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko have held world heavyweight championships.
-The city of Odessa is the home of the Potemkin Stairs or Odessa Steps. The steps were made famous in Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 silent film The Battleship Potemkin. This sequence, complete with descending baby carriage, was copied by Brian DePalma in his crime epic “The Untouchables” with Kevin Costner.
-Crimea is an independent republic located in the Ukraine. It is a peninsula in the Black Sea.
What To Avoid:
Mention of nuclear power plants, they have the largest in Europe, along with being home to Chernobyl, site of the 1986 disaster.
The Ukrainian Parliament announced on 8/15/09 that they think the Mayor of Kiev, Leonid Chernovetsky, is mentally unstable. He gave a press conference that week wearing nothing but his Speedos (reported in New York Times). This eccentric politician is known as “Lenny Cosmos”.
Also, the Ukrainians have their own ethnicity, and do not like being seen as Russians.
A Performers Guide to Cultural Interactions
By William Draven
As an actor at a major motion picture studio, and theme park in Hollywood, as well as a magician I frequently get the opportunity to entertain for from all over the world. A year ago or so a document was released within our entertainment department that outlined different countries, and some good information you can use to create meaningful, lasting encounters with their people.
I immediately saw the advantage of this information for the magician community because what are we if not entertainers? We can use just about any tool at our disposal to help create that one magic moment with our audience that can make it even that much more memorable. So I got permission to share the information with you. Of course this project will take some time to post up, so I'll be updating this based upon two factors. The first being how well received, and appreciated it is from you the community, and the second how relevant the community feels this information is as applied to their lives. That is to say if not encouraged, I won't keep it up. Otherwise, I'll post new threads titled: "Improving The World: {country name}" that that specific file relates to.
Without any further delay, I bring you our next country: Ukraine
Improve the World: Ukraine
Country: Ukraine
Continental Location: Eastern Europe
What They Call Themselves: Ukrainian
Primary Language: Ukrainian
Secondary Language: Russian
Prominent Cities: Kiev [capital], Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Odessa, Sevastapol,
Famous/ Historical Sites: Saint Sophia Cathedral (Kiev); Potemkin stairs (Odessa).
Currency: Hryvina
Starter Phrases in Phonetic Ukrainian:
Welcome: Laskavo proschmo (las-kav-Oh PROSE-im-oh)
Hello: Vitayu (Vit-EYE-you)
Goodbye: Do pobacennja (Doh po-BA-zheen-yah)
Thank you: Diakuju (YAH-koo-you)
Cultural Notes:
Prominent People/ Celebrities: Milla Jovovich (Model/Actress, “Resident Evil”, “Fith Element”); Mila Kunis (Actress, “That 70’s Show”), Oksana Biaul (Olympic Gold medalist 1994 figure skating); Sergey Bubka (Olympic pole vaulting legend); Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko (champion boxers); Jack Palance (Ukrainian/ American actor, born Volodymyr Palahnyuk).
-Ukraine is the largest country existing solely in Europe. It is bordered to the south by the Black Sea.
-The Ukraine was once part of the Soviet Union (the former USSR). They gained independence in 1991.
-Ukraine has its own space program and is a builder of spacecraft.
-The tradition of the Easter egg (known as “pyansky”) has its roots in Ukraine.
-A well-known regional dish is Chicken Kiev, similar to the French Chicken Cordon Bleu.
-The Ukraine is also home to “borshch” the classic red beet soup that gives the “Borscht Belt” of comedy its name.
-The national soccer team made its debut at the 2006 World Cup Finals.
-Ukrainians also fared well in boxing, where the brothers Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko have held world heavyweight championships.
-The city of Odessa is the home of the Potemkin Stairs or Odessa Steps. The steps were made famous in Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 silent film The Battleship Potemkin. This sequence, complete with descending baby carriage, was copied by Brian DePalma in his crime epic “The Untouchables” with Kevin Costner.
-Crimea is an independent republic located in the Ukraine. It is a peninsula in the Black Sea.
What To Avoid:
Mention of nuclear power plants, they have the largest in Europe, along with being home to Chernobyl, site of the 1986 disaster.
The Ukrainian Parliament announced on 8/15/09 that they think the Mayor of Kiev, Leonid Chernovetsky, is mentally unstable. He gave a press conference that week wearing nothing but his Speedos (reported in New York Times). This eccentric politician is known as “Lenny Cosmos”.
Also, the Ukrainians have their own ethnicity, and do not like being seen as Russians.