Festival draws over 900 Ukrainian dancers
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/04/2024 (689 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Brandon plays host to more than 900 dancers this weekend as the Brandon Troyanda School of Ukrainian Dance puts on its bi-annual Ukrainian Dance Festival.
This is the second year in a row the dance festival has been held to realign with the pre-COVID-19 festival schedule. Usually, hosting duty alternates between the Zirka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble in Dauphin and the BTSUD.
The festival is critical to raising money for the dance teams to use throughout the year. BTSUD president Curtis Hullick helped organize the event.
“It’s an enormous fundraiser for our dance group and it helps us pay the bills and keep Ukrainian dance alive in Manitoba,” he said.
Smaller group and solo performances were taking place Friday while many of the large group performances will take place Saturday and Sunday.
Some dance groups have travelled from hours away to be adjudicated by accomplished Ukrainian dancer Shane Gibson, who himself came from Calgary to judge the performances.
Gibson is in good company. Tynnille Chomenchuk Bouchard, an instructor with the BTSUD, has been dancing at the club since 1995 and has 14 years of experience as an instructor. Likewise, Jodi Woloski has been instructing for 16 years.
“It’s our background. It’s our culture. It’s a way to continue sharing the culture and bringing awareness to it, and keeping up those traditions,” Bouchard said Friday.
Nolan Low with Ethelbert Vitriwka Dance Club leaps in the air while performing a Transcarpathian duet with Brittney Stratuliak during the first day of the Ukrainian Dance Festival.
Twenty-six different dance clubs are participating in this weekend’s competition.
Outside the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium on Friday, a group from Steinbach practises their routine before they go on stage.
For now, they are warming up in their red club sweaters and sandals. Once they hit the stage they will be wearing traditional Ukrainian dancing outfits, which often include red shoes or boots and embroidered shirts and dresses. Many of the competing girls wander through the venue wearing traditional flower headpieces with ribbons.
Spencer May is one of the dancers practising. His sister, Jaycie May, is in the same dance group as him. He says he loves Ukrainian dance because it has taught him about the culture and he enjoys the community.
“I’ve done this for 15 years, so I’ve gotten a bunch of other friends and family here.”
Drea Thiessen with Sopilka Ukrainian Dance School performs a Transcarpathian solo dance.
» cmcconkey@brandonsun.com
Dancers with Yorkton Kalyna Dance laugh backstage while preparing to perform on Friday.
Dancers wait backstage to perform.
Reece Boughen with Zoloto Ukrainian Dancers performs a Transcarpathian solo dance.