This April’s Manitoba Ukrainian Dance Festival marked an especially meaningful performance for one Stonewall family.
Ten-year-old Lucy Campbell performed her first Pryvit to the same song her mother, Alycia Campbell, danced her own first Pryvit to years earlier. Making the moment even more special, Lucy’s Pryvit was choreographed by her aunt, Elena Modrzejewski, and longtime family friend Olivia Dubeski — two of Alycia’s former students who were part of her very first Pryvit routine.
“It was pure joy to watch Lucy take the stage for her first Pryvit,” her mom said. “You could see the pride on her face while she danced, and that was beautiful to watch.”
The performance brought Alycia back to Lucy’s very first dance class with the Selkirk & District Ukrainian School of Dance, and she said she is proud to see how much her daughter has grown over the years.
Lucy was invited to perform the Pryvit in recognition of her positive attitude and dedication during rehearsals.
“She loves dance and takes pride in knowing she’s putting her best foot forward when she takes the stage,” her mom said. “Dance has given my life so much joy and colour. It’s taken me places I would not have visited. It’s allowed me to make lifelong friends. It’s blessed me with strength and health as I age. And most importantly, you don’t have to be perfect or the best to reap all those benefits if you love it. I want all of that for Lucy — I hope dance gives back to her the way it has for me.”
Alycia said she first choreographed her routine in 2010 and immediately knew the music was something special.
With Pryvit serving as a welcoming dance that symbolizes hospitality and the fertility of the land, she said that the moment she first heard the piece, she knew the audience was in for a treat.
Now, in 2026, hearing the music again and watching Lucy perform brought tears to her eyes.
“The fact that this piece stayed with them (Modrzejewski and Dubeski) as dancers, and then as instructors that they chose it to choreograph their first Pryvit, is an honour,” she said. “It was a full-circle moment.”
Dubeski said that, for her, one of the most meaningful aspects of Ukrainian dance is carrying on tradition between generations.
“Each step, rhythm and costume reflects a shared history, connecting dancers today with those who came before them,” she said. “When those moments have a personal connection, it makes them even more meaningful.”
For Modrzejewski, she said they approached the choreography knowing the importance and privilege the routine held, adding that it had lived with them for several years and they strived to recreate its impact on their students.
“Seeing Lucy and the rest of my students perform this piece onstage was the culmination of many hours of preparation and the dreams Olivia (one of two choreographers) and I had,” she said. “Having the opportunity to watch Lucy from the wings, as my sister had watched me, and as our aunts and uncles had watched her, is now a memory I will return to fondly for the rest of my life.”
For Lucy, stepping onto the stage brought a mix of nerves and excitement, especially as she performed alongside dancers in levels above her own.
Her favourite part of the experience was the opportunity to learn from and perform with them.
“They inspired me with the fast turns, the challenging combinations and the fun choreography,” she said. “Dancing in this Pryvit made me feel like I was following in the steps of my family — my great-aunts and great-uncles, my mom and dad, my aunts and uncles, my cousins, and then me. I’m the next generation, and that makes me proud.”
