By Tyler Marr

Celebrating community through dance

Apr 24, 2017 | 6:00 AM

Celebrating culture and tradition were centre stage over the weekend as families from across the prairies gathered at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre for the Barveenok Ukrainian Dance Festival.

Laced in traditional garments, dancers aged four and up partook in the thirtieth rendition of the festival.

For Sheri Duffield, president of the Barveenok Dance Club, the event was more than just dance, it was about maintaining a shared Ukrainian heritage.

“We are proud of that connection and we want to keep it alive and give it our children,” she said, noting her daughter was a dancer participating in the weekend.

The event is used to raise funds and support the smaller sized club in Prince Albert, with a healthy portion of the money collected directed towards purchasing costumes straight from Ukraine.

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“A huge expense for families is the costuming, so we are very proud of the costumes,” Duffield said.

Passing on the tradition was a special aspect of the event, with many mothers who used to dance now watching and assisting their own dancing children.

For Duffield, seeing this spoke to the success of the club and contributed to its ability to continue.

Maintaining pride in everything from dance and music to food and work ethic, coming together and enjoying each other as family and friends was also prevalent to the event.

“It is not so much about the meal and the medals, it is about the community. It is about the friendships and it is about being hospitable.”

This rang true for 17-year-old Abby Gulka from Canora, whose sister was in the same troupe.

“I have been in it for 14 years already and it is just kind of what I do,” Gulka said. “We have had the same group for a couple years already so we all know each other very well..it is one big family.”

Duffield extended huge thanks to the families and co-chairs Dorthy Kawula and Terry Oleksyn who contributed dozens of volunteer hours to ensure a successful event.

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr