It was another successful year celebrating Malanka for the Glendon Shevchenko Ukrainian Dance Club. The dancers showed off their skill over the weekend, performing for over 400 people gathered at the Glendon RCMP Hall to celebrate Ukrainian New Year's.
President of the club Janice Voltner said with people having such busy day-to-day lives, it's important to take time to reflect on your heritage.
“This is something you can gather as a family and enjoy and remember what tradition is...I think without that, you're not carrying on the values and family morals that you were brought up with,” said Voltner.
She added, “To say that you're Ukrainian, you should walk around and be proud to say that you're Ukrainian. Carry it on to your kids, let them be proud, pay that forward to their generation and generations to come.”
The club, which has been celebrating Malanka for 41 years, has seen a double in the number of dancers over the last four years – having only 16 members in 2012, they now boast 33 Ukrainian dancers between the ages of 4 and 17. Voltner said since last year alone, their numbers went up by at least 30 percent. She praises coach Brenden Kuzma for the club's success.
“He has brought this club to a whole different level of commitment and enthusiasm and just a whole new different level of dance. He's brought tradition back to this club.”
The 21 year old from Prince George, B.C. started Ukrainian dancing himself in 2002. In 2011, Kuzma moved to Edmonton to follow his dream of dancing with the world-renowned Ukrainian Shumka dancers. When he was given the opportunity to teach in Glendon four years ago, Kuzma said he knew it was a club he wanted to be a part of.
“Northern Alberta has a good Ukrainian heritage. Not only is it a good way for kids to exercise, socialize and learn, but it's important for Ukrainian culture...especially in Canada we have a good relationship with Ukraine so we need to be strong for them over here and keep the traditions alive.”
Kuzma has been to Ukraine twice to study choreography of the different regions of the country. He said it was an experience of a lifetime.
“It has inspired me. We met with the national ensemble of Ukraine, so the best ensemble of Ukrainian dancers in the world. They're just jaw-dropping every time you see them.”
While he plans on continuing to dance with the Shumka dancers for another eight years, Kuzma hopes to also stay as a coach in Glendon for that time. He added that he has seen a positive change in the level of passion his students have for Ukrainian dance. Voltner expressed that not every Ukrainian dance club is able to say that their instructor dances himself with a prominent group.
“(The impact he's had) it's incredible. His choreography, his expertise, his drive and determination to get these kids to a level that he wants them at – he sees them as equals, he coaches them hard, he works them hard and it shows. He came in and just brought them to this level where they're throwing in 90's and 92's in competition, it's amazing,” she said.
Voltner finished by saying she would love to see the number at the Glendon Shevchenko Ukrainian Dance Club continue to grow in the coming years, as more people get to experience an important part of Ukrainian culture.
