Arborg’s Reechka Ukrainian Dance Club stole the stage at the Brandon Troyanda School of Ukrainian Dance Festival.
Reechka performed 20 different dances, ranging from solos to group numbers. Over 30 Reechka dancers ages 6 to 17 took the stage at the three-day festival between April 12 to 14.
Brandon Troyanda School of Ukrainian Dance Festival hosts over 900 dancers and instructors from across the province every two years. It makes for an exciting event for all who attend.
Reechka dancer Sonya Dmitriieva, 16, participated in her first Brandon Troyanda School of Ukrainian Dance Festival, bringing home two silver medals for her Poltava and Hutsul dance groups.
Dmitriieva described herself as a dancer who “was made in Ukraine.”
Although initially overwhelmed, the festival was extremely special for Dmitriieva because it made her feel close to home, she said.
“This event is just a meeting of people sharing their dance experiences and culture,” Dmitriieva said.
Her favourite aspect of the festival was the adjudication because it allowed the dancers to identify areas where they can improve their skills, she said.
Another exciting aspect was seeing Canadians connect with the Ukrainian culture through dance.
“It is simply fascinating how people can excel in their techniques and performance over generations.”
She said she loves seeing Canadians gather and connect to her roots, adding: “That’s valuable to me.”
Dmitriieva will be aging out of the Reechka Ukrainian Dance Club next year. She said she is thankful for all the dance skills she has learned.
Collectively, the Reechka Ukrainian Dance Club earned one bronze medal, 14 silver medals, and five gold medals for its routines.
“We are really fortunate and did really well,” said Reechka Ukrainian Dance Club president Jenna Pearce.
Pearce explained that not every dance number gets a medal, but all of Reechka’s dances and performers went home with a medal around their neck.
The Brandon festival was the final performance for Reechka dancers of the season.
Reechka dancers were to conclude their season by celebrating their hard work with a spring tea at the Arborg Hall on April 21.
The dance club will commence classes for the 2024-2025 dance year in September.
Express Photos Submitted
