Ukrainian dance is alive and kicking in Saskatoon, SK, as I so delightfully discovered two weekends ago. I attended the Vesna Festival of Ukrainian Dance and visited the Ukrainian Museum of Canada.
One of the highlights of the trip was seeing the wonderful Pavlychenko Folklorique Ensemble dance. This group is a non-profit organization of semi-professional dancers who tour the world performing their Ukrainian shows.
Artistic Director Serhij Koroliuk came to Canada from the Ukraine in 1993 to help the group expand their repertoire. He settled in Sasktoon, SK and has gained an impressive reputation for his work.
He describes himself jokingly as “Made in Canada Ukrainian” and told me that Ukrainian dancing “…has a wide range and is cool and interesting for everybody. You don’t have to be Ukrainian to love it.” I wholeheartedly agree.
Please enjoy the two videos (above and below) that show the wonderful Pavlychenko Folklorique Ensemble performing at Vesna Festival in Saskatoon, SK. Their next performance is on July 18, 2009 at Persephone Theatre (100 Spadina Crescent, Saskatoon, SK).
I’ll leave you with a quote that I saw on the wall at Vesna Festival: “To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak.” Amen.
Copyright 2009 Lori Henry
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