January - 2017

Teacher Talk

Teacher Talk

Have you ever had students look at you with a blank stare when you try to teach a new step? Have you ever come home frustrated with your kids for not being able to “just do what I’m showing you”? Let’s talk. Teacher talk. As we all ease our way back into the Ukrainian dance season, many instructors are faced with issues such as dancer placement, developing new relationships with new students, and even transitioning from one volunteer executive board to another. A busy time to

Ukrainian Dance From Village to Stage

Ukrainian Dance From Village to Stage

Ukrainian dance is hugely popular today. Most of the dances we perform have roots in traditional village culture in Ukraine, where, for several thousand years, most of the population was peasants. Peasants lived (and continue to live) in villages, growing their crops and raising animals in family farms. Compared with contemporary urbanites in Ukraine, Canada, or elsewhere, Ukrainians have lived with relatively low technology, travelled little, and continued the customs and be

ROMAntic Gipsy Dances

ROMAntic Gipsy Dances

At least once in our lives, we’ve all looked at Gypsy dances imagining ourselves in that fiery, mysterious and carefree whirlwind of a dance! Seems like no one can remain indifferent looking at this magical performance, your feet start tapping, your hands clapping, and before you know it – you start dancing… Gypsy culture, and dance in particular, are a mix of different influences – Balkan, Celtic, East Indian and Arabic. Thanks to their nomadic lifestyle, Gypsies constantly