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Dance is an artform that transcends the boundaries of language. It’s a window into the heart of a culture – connecting us to its people, customs and traditions. Through the medium of dance, the aspirations and spirit of a people are expressed, inviting audiences into a rich, cultural narrative.
Ukrainian Folk Stage dance has long been a cornerstone of the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians (AUUC). For over a century, the AUUC has dedicated its resources and efforts to supporting and preserving Ukrainian dance through national seminars and workshops and at its National Festivals where all of our performing arts groups are featured.
And so it was, on November 9th – 12th, 2018, 56 dancers and 4 observers from across Canada gathered in Vancouver to participate in a National Dance Seminar sponsored by the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians. Five AUUC centres were represented – Winnipeg, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary and the host city, Vancouver. After months of planning and anticipation, dancers arrived eager to meet their fellow dancers and instructors to begin their 4-day intensive seminar.
The seminar featured two distinguished guest instructors:
• Serguei Makarov, director of Suzirya Ukrainian Dance Theatre in Calgary, Alberta
• Zhenia Bahri, director of the Volya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble of Edmonton, Alberta
Serguei led the instruction of a girl’s dance for 16 dancers, while Zhenia staged a mixed couple’s dance for 8 pairs. In addition to their respective choreographies, both instructors conducted classical barre and centre work. Dancers also received a class in character technique with Zhenia. While dancers were divided into groups based on the choreography they were learning, all participants took barre and centre work classes from both instructors.
The seminar concluded with a final showcase where dancers gathered to perform the new dances for each other and for invited guests - a girl’s dance based on Virsky’s Girl’s Kozachok, and a mixed couple’s dance, Nich na Ivana Kupalo based on an Ivana Kupalo theme.
To accommodate this large number of dancers, classes were held at two locations: a ballet studio near the dancers’ hotel and the Vancouver AUUC Cultural Centre at 805 E. Pender Street.
Facilitating the seminar was a huge undertaking requiring extensive coordination and volunteer support. Local volunteers, particularly those in the AUUC Vancouver Branch, helped to transport dancers between the venues and hotel, provided meals for the dancers and ensured that all of the technical needs were met including music and video recording.
This National dance seminar was successful on so many levels. It provided the participants with the opportunity to improve their dance technique, to learn new choreography and to foster new friendships while gaining a better insight into AUUC dance groups across Canada.
Gathering dancers together from our AUUC centres not only enriches the learning experience but deepens connections among AUUC youth. Experiences like this serve to strengthen the cultural and artistic ties that bind our centres together.
The dancers returned home with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and determination to share their Ukrainian culture and to grow the AUUC and its profile in the broader Ukrainian Canadian community.
