A total of 325 people attended the 11th annual Malanka banquet and dance held by the Norquay Rosa Ukrainian Dance Club on January 23.
Kalyna Livingstone, a graduate from the club, was the emcee for the program, which is a celebration of “Ukrainian New Year’s Eve.”
“Everyone here tonight is connected,” Livingstone said. “Just as the strands of dough for the braided bread called “kolach” are intertwined, so our lives are also interconnected. With that in mind, we would like to offer you the kolach, which will also be presented in the “Pryvittania (pre-vee-tan-ya)” dance to welcome everyone here, and to share it with each of you in the traditional manner.”
She said that during the first part of the banquet, Sierra Dahlin, Lexie Lindgren and Kortney Wasylynchuk, who are Group 3 dancers, would go from table to table with a plate of the kolach and salt.
“The bread is to bless you with God’s bounty and the salt is to bring out the best in life and to preserve and enrich your relationships,” she said. “The actual practice of offering bread and salt to guests dates back through the centuries. Bread with salt was presented upon a ‘rushnyk’ or ceremonial cloth while the host says ‘with this bread and salt we greet you.’ The recipient would than accept the offering by bowing slightly and kissing the bread after which they hand it back to the host.
“They could also break off a small piece, dip it in the salt and eat it and then return it to the host. The remaining bread can be consumed at the gathering or taken home by the guest. The bread represents hospitality, while salt represents eternal friendship.
“We invite you to symbolically cement our bonds as family and community by partaking of the bread, dipping it in the salt, if you wish, and eating.”
Livingstone recommended everyone look at silent auction items and purchase 50/50 tickets.
The event began with everyone singing “Boh Predvichnay.”
After the meal, Livingstone called for applause for Irene Perrick of Backwoods Catering and her staff in appreciation of “a fantastic feast.”
The Norquay Rosa Dance Group is celebrating its 36th year with dancers from Norquay, Pelly, Danbury and Benito, she said, crediting Serhiy Zabutnyy of Regina, who is their instructor and choreographer “who always brings out the best in every dancer and brings new and enjoyable dances to the stage every year.”
She said the program would take the audience to three different regions of Ukraine and each region has its own music, style of dance, style of costume and dialect.
The welcome dance was performed by the Group 5 dancers, with Emily Livingstone standing in for Nicole Tureski, who had been injured.
Next came the presentation of the wreath of girlhood in a ceremony that included Kyrsten Frampton and her mother Orla.
“Beginning millennia ago, the herbs and flowers of the woods and fields of Ukraine were attributed with magical, life-giving, mystical and love-granting powers,” she said. “These flowers and herbs were gathered at special times of the year by girls in their teens who then braided them into wreaths to adorn their heads.”
The wreath, containing periwinkle, poppies and other required herbs and flowers symbolized maturing youth and it was the birthright of each girl to wear a wreath as long as she remained in the bloom of youth, she said.
“For us, this wreath ceremony is not just a re-enactment of an age-old folkloric tradition, but in a real sense it is an acknowledgement of the dedication, perseverance, and growth displayed by the dancers. The wreath and full costume not only symbolize a change in status, but also an increase in responsibility as a leader within your group, and as a role model for the younger dancers who will follow.”
She said the first dance was from the Bukovyna region of Ukraine and the dances resembled the neighbouring Hutzul region but with a flair all their own. The dancers were Taylor Wasylynuik, Megan Nystedt, Emily Livingstone and TJ Ebert.
The next dance was from the Poltava region and was performed by the beginner group, aged three to five years and was comprised of Mikayla Shankowsky, Jax Griffith, Bristol Lindgren, Emmarie Holinaty, Peyton Holinaty, Eryn Wasylyniuk and Liam Kish.
The Poltava is one of the more popular forms of dance and one seen most often performed by Ukrainian dance groups, she said. The costume from the Poltava area has become known as the national costume of Ukraine. They are very brightly coloured and contain adornments of flowers and ribbons.
The Hutzul style of dance comes from the western mountainous region of Ukraine called the Carpathian Mountains, she said, adding that the movements of the dance tend to be more sharp and upward.
Performing a Hutzul dance was the Group 2 dancers: Sarah Lukey, Charlie Griffith, Westin Lindgren, Paul Frampton, Reese Reine, Lily Kish and Presley Vogel.
The Poltava culture developed under many influences, the greatest being from the semi-military society of the Kozaks, Livingstone said. Their love of social dances spawned the Hopak. Kozak boys influenced the strong acrobatic moves and the women display grace and beauty.
Group 3 dancers performing a Poltava were: Jaxson Lindgren, Alexis Lindgren, Kortny Wasylyniuk, Sierra Dahlin, Carson Ebert, Rylen Lukey, Jace Vogel and TJ Ebert.
Moving back to the Bukovyna region, Livingstone said that a prominent feature of Bukovynian costume is the presence of coins on the headpiece and necklace for the girls. In Bukovyna, folklore states that the more beads and coins worn by a young woman, the wealthier is her family. The coins were also traditionally worn to ward off evil sprints.
Presenting a Bukovynian dance were the Group 5 dancers: Cody Heskin, Jayden Heskin, Kyrsten Frampton, Chantel Nokinsky, Dillon Nokinsky, Calum Livingstone and Sasha Sobothniski.
The final number was a Kolomeyka, which “gives the dancers a chance to perform their favourite steps and dance along with their siblings.”
Because of the size of the group, the dancers performed on the dance floor.
Livingstone said that the Norquay Rosa Dancers thanked the community and surrounding area for their continued support of the dance group over the years.
“The support and interest shown towards our dancers instils the Ukrainian culture and tradition in our youth,” she said. “Much organization and planning goes into running a dance group.”
The event ended with a photography session and the announcement of the winners of the silent auction.
