Year Long Immersion Program 2017-2018. Volyn State Academic Folk Choir rehearsal. | Ukrainian Dance World

Support Your Dance Instructor

Support Your Dance Instructor

Invest in Your Dance Instructor & Your Club Ukrainian dance is an important and vibrant part of the Ukrainian community and instructors are the key to making sure that groups continue to succeed. But what can we do to continue to make sure the quality of instructors remains high? At Ukrainian Dance World – we strongly believe that studying and dancing in Ukraine has a huge influence on dancers, instructors and choreographers that live and work in our communities. Instructors

UKRAINE’S MOST FAMOUS BARD TAKES TO THE STAGE

UKRAINE’S MOST FAMOUS BARD TAKES TO THE STAGE

It’s not very often that groups in the Ukrainian dance scene create brand new full-scale productions, largely because of the massive costs associated with such an endeavor. Shumka, however, has done just that with Kobzar – a moving tribute to Ukraine’s own Taras Shevchenko. Edmonton’s Shumka dancers are no strangers to audiences throughout North America. Tackling emotive stories, fairytales, and fables through the art of Ukrainian dance, their Travelling Chumaky, Katrusia, an

International Ukrainian Dance & Culture Festival

International Ukrainian Dance & Culture Festival

The IUDCF is clearly becoming one of the coolest new Ukrainian dance festivals around the world. What is it? This festival brings together Ukrainians from all around the world to celebrate and share their passion for Ukrainian dance, music and culture. Last year there were groups from all around the world including Canada, Australia, England and of course Ukraine. Some came just for the festival and enjoyed their time in and around Lviv. Other groups toured around and per

The Stuff of Legend

The Stuff of Legend

Relatively new to the Ukrainian dance scene, Melbourne Australia’s Lehenda has been tracing the legends of its dancers’ forefathers to great acclaim since just 2014. Lehenda’s vision is not unlike that of other Ukrainian groups in Australia, or even around the world: to promote the rich cultural traditions of Ukraine through dance. It something Artistic Director Melanie Moravski Dechnicz works hard at passing on to her dancers, which shows whenever this 40-strong ensemble hit

The Silver Land

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

Kaperush

Kaperush

Bukovyna is not only the land of picturesque views, dense forests, Clearwater rivers, fresh air, but also the land of incredibly talented people who cherish a priceless treasure. The treasure of folklore. Bukovyna has always been famous for its songs, dances, music and traditions. Working as a choreographer of the State Bukovynian Academic Song and Dance Ensemble, I’ve always tried not to step away from original sources of Bukovynian national dance art. By far my favorite dan

Spring comes along, Summer tags along

Spring comes along, Summer tags along

Ukrainian villages around Easter time often look the following way: young girls, wearing traditional folk costumes and flower wreaths, getting together to do traditional roundelays and decorate the church… In the meantime, men build a ‘tower’ and tease the girls… You hear the church bells ringing… Seems like even the buildings come alive, woken up by melodies of Vesnianky (spring songs), echoing the times past and reviving our ancestors’ legacy. As soon as the snow melts and

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