The Canora Veselka Ukrainian Dance Club held its 44th annual concert on April 29 at the Canora Composite School in front of a full house in the school gym.
Amanda Zbitniff, club president, said all 86 dancers performed exceptionally well.
鈥淭he concert was spectacular,鈥�, said Zbitniff. 鈥淲e are all very proud of our dancers for the hard work and dedication they put in, which is evident as soon as they step on stage.聽 Our children are proud of the strong Ukrainian roots Canora holds and they love to present this to their community.鈥�
She said the concert was very well received by those in attendance.
Live music was provided by Orville Drobot, Norman Werner, Stan Popowich and Garrett Keyowski as concertgoers entered the gymnasium.
The concert opened with the Pryvit, the Ukrainian Welcome Dance. Dancers offered bread, salt and wheat to their guests, which represents a wish of health and prosperity.
The program explained the dances performed during the concert, depicting various regions of the Ukraine. The dancers were dressed in authentic, colourful costumes for each region.
The Poltava represents the culture of the Ukrainian Kozaks, and their love of social dance. These dances are physically demanding for the boys, while the girls display grace and beauty in the technically demanding dances.
The Polissia is an area of the Ukraine below sea level, and has very marshy soil. This creates a relatively favourable environment for the cattle farmers and fishermen of the region. This fast paced dance incorporates high leg movements with repetitive stamping and tapping.
The Hutzul region is located high in the Carpathian Mountains, requiring the people to be adaptable due to the severe climate and limited living space. Hutzul dancers are lively and energetic, with intricate footwork and quick stamping, combined with swift vertical movements.
The Transcarpathian, also known as Zakarpattia, is a large area which alternates between foothills and fertile plains. The Transcarpathian dances are known for their large, sweeping movements. The moderately paced dances are characterized by the males clapping and slapping their boots and bodies. It is rhythmic and bouncy with distinct twisting motions.
The Bukovynian area is located in the transitional highland between Ukraine and Romania. The energetic dances for this region are characterized by high stepping, intricate foot stamping combinations.
Volyn lies in north-western Ukraine, and is rich in tradition and culture. Poland鈥檚 extended rule over this area influenced the dances and costumes from this region. Their dances are couple oriented and similar to the polka. Dances are characterized by energetic jumping, high legs, lively arms and twirling steps.
The Hopak is a national Ukrainian dance, most likely originating from celebrations within Ukrainian communities. Most of this energetic dance is performed in unison, as the women spin and the men squat repeatedly. The acrobatic aspect of the Hopak has been amped up in recent years and performed by male soloists, executing high leaps, turns, and split jumps during the performance.
A number of groups were responsible for multiple dances during the concert, which required plenty of costume changes and rushing around to be ready for the next number in the program.
The dancers were divided into nine groups: Senior Girls, Intermediate 2 Boys, Intermediate 2 Girls, Intermediate 1 Mixed, Junior 2 Mixed, Junior 1 Mixed, Novice 3 Mixed, Novice 2 Mixed and Novice I Mixed.
The members of the Senior Girls group are: Emma Eiteneier, Abbey Sakal, Kelsey Chupa, Jill Gulka, Mackenzie Gulka, Jasmine Knihniski, Jordelle Lewchuk, Carley Ostafie, Dekea Ryczak and Ashley Stusek. Their instructor is Liana Zabutnyy.
The members of the Intermediate 2 Boys group are: Jacob Gulka, Brayden Ostafie and Carson Ostafie. Their instructors are Liana and Serhiy Zabutnyy.
Dancers in the Intermediate 2 Girls group are: Drea Beblow, Cassandra Danyluk, Brooklyn Korol, Larissa Makowsky, Emily Owchar and Megan Scherban. Their instructor is Serhiy Zabutnyy.
The members of the Intermediate 1 Mixed group are: Jayden Burym, Jack Craig, Makayla Heshka, Jenna Korol, Tyson Korol, Ava Love, Matthew Makowsky, Noah Prychak, Alaina Roebuck, Methyl Trask and Sofia Tratch. Their instructor is Liana Zabutnyy.
The members of the Junior 2 Mixed group are: Addison Burym, Henry Craig, Jordan Makowsky, Cambrie Ostafie, Brenna Reine, Linden Roebuck, Gasper Thomas, Meekah Unick and Cody Vangen. Their instructor is Liana Zabutnyy.
Dancers in the Junior 1 Mixed group are: Kacee Kitchen, Trista Palagian, Graison Belesky, Niamh Honig, Natalie Kosar, Danielle Dutchak, Olivia Tratch, Heidi Mentanko, Rhianna Stefanyshyn, Victoria Zbitniff, Jordan Zbitniff, Liam Trask, Joshua Prychak and Reein Godhe.
Their instructor is Serhiy Zabutnyy, with Jill Gulka as an apprentice instructor.
The members of the Novice 3 Mixed group are: Greta Craig, Madison Dutchak, Tessa Prychak, Olivia Zayshley, Mahra Collingridge, Mikayla Tratch, Rori Love, Maddy Dutchak, Cassidy Wolkowski, Isabelle Chabun, Wade Vangen, Phin Honig, Simon Craig, Jacob Rewakowsky, Sam Collingridge and Zarin Godhe. Their instructor is Serhiy Zabutnyy, with Jill Gulka as an apprentice instructor.
Dancers in the Novice 2 Mixed group are: Anallah Johnstone, Chloe Doogan, Presley Owchar, Mya Dutchak, Mykelti Johnstone, Isaiah Faryna, Camryn Burym, Caden Doogan and Jevon Keyowski. Their instructor is Serhiy Zabutnyy, with Jill Gulka as an apprentice instructor.
The members of the Novice 1 Mixed group are: Layla Keyowski, Emmett Kitchen, Nickolas Rewakowsky, Nixon Johnstone, Bella Fullawka, Sophie Monich, Talia Collingridge and Hannah Dutchak. Their instructor is Serhiy Zabutnyy, with apprentice instructors Jill Gulka and Drea Beblow.
The 2018 Most Promising Dancer Award winners, as chosen by Serhiy and Liana Zabutnyy (instructors), were: Hannah Dutchak, Novice 1; Jevon Keyowski, Novice 2; Simon Craig, Novice 3; Joshua Prychak, Junior 1; Cody Vangen, Junior 2; Makayla Heshka, Intermediate 1; Jacob Gulka, Intermediate 2 and Ashley Stusek, Senior.
Members of the 2017-18 Canora Veselka Ukrainian Dance Club executive are: Amanda Zbitniff, president; Teresa Korol, vice-president, Allana Lewchuk, secretary and Jill Craig, treasurer.
Zbitniff said the club is grateful to everyone who attended the concert and has supported the club over the years.
鈥淲e look forward to carrying on the tradition next year, which will be the clubs 45th anniversary.鈥澛犅�
