Ruslana Lyzhychko's victory at the Eurovision 2004 Song Contest May 15 in Istambul did more than make Ukrainians euphoric. It's raising questions about Ukraine's ability to host the Eurovision contest in 2005, as it must according to contest rules.
The Lviv-born pop singer, who performs under her given name only, beat 36 competitors with her song "Dyki Tantsi" (Wild Dances), winning the most votes from the show's estimated audience of 100 million.
"We conquered Europe with our wild energy and ardor ... and we remained a mystery for them", Ruslana said at a May 17 press conference in Kyiv.
Ruslana's flamboyant performance grafted Carpathian melodies to contemporary dance music. She added she hopes it will make Ukraine more attractive to a Europe with which it has recently had chilly relations.
The performance has earned Ukraine the privilege of holding the 50th Eurovision concert next May. "Now Europe will come to us," Ruslana said.
And therein lies the dilemma.
Kyiv Mayor Oleksandr Omelchenko admitted in Kyiv on May 19 that his city is not ready to host the event. "There is no concert hall that would be able to seat all spectators and competitors," he said.
Omelcheko said an appropriate hall would accomodate 15,000-20,000 spectators. Kyiv's largest indoor venue, the again Sports Palace near the Olympic Stadium, holds only between 8,000-10,000 and its interior 'does not meet European standars", he said.
"There's little time, just a year, but we be looking at some posibilities"' Omelchenko added.
The Geneva-based European Broad-casting Union (EBU), the contest's sponsor, usually gives each hosting country 5 million Swiss francs, or about $3.5 million, said the head of Ukraine's Eurovision delegation Pavlo Grytsak. Grytsak, who is also director of the National Television Company's International Board, said that the EBU money is meant for organizing the event, and not for capital investment.
...
Hennady Kurochka, a managing partner of Ukraine's CFC Consulting company, which along with the NTCU and Eurocar organized Ruslana's contest campaign, said Ukraine should approach Eurovision as a positive chalenge.
"Eurovision may become the biggest-ever promotion for Ukraine, both culturally and economically," Kurochka said, citing Estonia, the contest's host in 2002, as a model for how Ukraine could use Eurovision to promote itself.
"And we shouldn't forget that there are many competitors who would like the contest not to be held in Ukraine, but instead in their own countries. We should not lose this unique chance for Ukraine," he said.
NATIONAL HEROINE
Ukrainian politicians were fast to acknowledge Ruslana's victory. President Leonida Kuchmo said she had "brought glory to the Motherland", while Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, in Brussels to meet with NATO Secretary-Genaral Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, used the opportunity of Ruslana's victory ti invite de Hoop "to visit Ruslana and Ukraine".
Ruslana's 2003 alum "Dyki Tantsi", which contains the winning song, has so far sold more than 170,000 copies and has been awarded platinum status here. Those figures are likely to increase with the win.
While Ruslana's song did win the most votes from Eurovision fans, it was not an isolated performance. Her multifaceted campaign to win the Eurovision contest included promotional tours to 15 participating countries, numerous PR appearances and press conferences, and wide distribution of informational material and T-shirts.
Kurochka estimated that Ruslana's organizers invested more than $ 200,000 in her campaign.
"But I think everything has been done effectively," he said, "from choosing the countries to visit to the individual work with foreign journalists and commentators".
http://www.kyivpost.com
WILD DANCES
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!
Desire
Inside you
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
I want you
To want me
So I dance round and round and round
Hey, shi-di-ri-di-duy, shi-di-ri-di-da-na
Hey, 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
He-e-e-ey!
Dance forever, come and be mine,
Dance together, till 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
СОКРАЩЕННЫЙ ПЕРЕВОД
Возможно, я сошла с ума-
Мир крутится и крутится вокруг...
Я хочу, чтобы ты хотел меня, когда я танцую.
Всегда
Двигайтесь, двигайтесь,
Дикие танцы!
Хочу быть любимой,
Использую все свои дикие шансы,
Я - свободна,
Я танцую дикие танцы,
Желание внутри тебя,
Моя голова идет кругом,
Хочу, чтобы ты желал меня,
Поэтому я танцую,
Танец навсегда,
Приди и будь моим.
Будем танцевать
До конца наших дней...
ОТРЫВОК ИЗ ИНТЕРВЬЮ "РОССИЙСКОЙ ГАЗЕТЕ" (2004, № 110, 28 мая, с. 7 , www.rg.ru)
ВОПРОС: - Руслана, вы - жительница Львова. Про львовян часто говорят: "западенцы", которые украинский язык ставят на первое место. Но вот вы сегодня, после громкой победы стали сразу и народной артисткой Украины, и премьер Виктор Янукович пригласил вас в свои советники. Как вы смотрите на сегодняшние отношения между нашими двумя странами. е волнуют ли вас тенденции, когда на украинском телевидении ограничивают русский язык, или когда "хохлы" и "москали" друг другу себя противопоставляют?
ОТВЕТ: - Прежде всего Львов сегодня это европейский город. И что касается меня, то любые споры по части идеологии считаю абсолютно субъективными вещами. Кто-то один что-то подумал или сказал, а эту мысль или позицию приписали целой нации. Все это большая политика. Я в ней ничего не понимаю, но с детства знаю, что все, что настроено на злость и агресивность, - плохо.
Простые же россияне едут в Украину, а украинцы - в Россию. Количество родственников в наших странах огромно. У меня и у самой... Послушайте, ведь ваша газета выходит по всей России?
ВОПРОС: - Да.
ОТВЕТ: - Тогда передайте привет моим дедушке и бабушке, которые живут на Урале. Аркадий Васильевич Сапегин и Лидия Федоровна Сапегина. А еще - моей тете - Ирине Аркадьевне Бахтиной и Анечке Бахтиной - любимой двоюродной сестре. Все они - в России.
(примечание от "Мезогеи": Руслана Лыжычко - уроженка села Конюшки Рогатынского района Ивано-Франковской области, Украина, т.е. с родины Настьи Лисовской, она же - султанша Роксолана)
назад
Ruslana Lyzhychko's victory at the Eurovision 2004 Song Contest May 15 in Istambul did more than make Ukrainians euphoric. It's raising questions about Ukraine's ability to host the Eurovision contest in 2005, as it must according to contest rules.
