YORKTON - Many things have changed in our country and our province in the last 50 years. However, the commitment to preserving heritage and Ukrainian culture has remained the same in Yorkton, celebrated by the Kalyna Dance School.
Established in 1975, the Yorkton Kalyna Dance School will be celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2025. The Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League, Branch No. 2, started this five decades long dance school as a dance project back in the mid 70’s. The dance club has now grown to include a remarkable 60 families and 98 students.
Lana Klemetski, President, says, “It was an extremely successful venture which fostered an interest in the preservation of and celebration of the Ukrainian culture through teaching area young people how to dance in the traditional ways of their ancestors.”
The club will celebrate their golden anniversary Apr. 13 at their spring concert and will honor past presidents, executive members, families, dancers and instructors. Keeping the tradition and belief to promote and preserve Ukrainian heritage through dance is important to all the families, especially with the current unrest in Ukraine.
“The spring concert will be a chance to celebrate this remarkable milestone, appreciate the wonder and beauty through the expression of dance and come together to enjoy many shared memories,” affirms Klemetski.
On behalf of Kalyna, Klemetski outlines that the Ukrainian immigrants who came to this country brought their customs and traditions with them. Modern Ukrainian dances are representations of their characteristic movements. Ukraine has regions with its own music, dialect, form of dress and dance steps.
Ukrainian dance provides a gateway into learning more about the culture, traditions, folklore, music, and language, presented in beautiful pageantry of color, costumes, music and well rehearsed dance numbers.
“The dances performed take their names from which they are associated. Dance names such as Volyn, Bukovina, Poltavski, Hutzul, and Transcarpathian represent the regions of Ukraine,” acknowledges the dance school’s president.
Kalyna Dance School says they have steadily flourished, touching the lives of many children, while continuing in the tradition of, and influencing another generation of dancers, through teaching the appreciation and understanding of Ukrainian heritage.
“Kalyna Dance School has nine groups this year ranging from three years old to adult. The weekly practices are held Sept.- Apr, and most of the performances are in the later part of the year.”
The club is run by an elected volunteer executive board with Lana Klemetski as president, Stephen Rosowsky past-president, Marcy Hiduk treasurer, Laura Dean-Fuhr secretary, and vice presidents Lara Buchholzer, Kristene Girard and Cally Holinaty. The club has four talented instructors Nicole Hulston-Sendziak, Karsun Burkholder, AnnaLee Parnetta, and Karen Sarafincian.
In efforts to keep dance fees low as well as assistance with purchasing dance costumes directly from the Ukraine, Kalyna undertakes several fundraisers throughout the year. The next fundraiser for dancers will be a spring raffle that each club member will be selling tickets on.
Traditions are part of this club’s operation and one such tradition includes an annual Valentine’s social, where students perform a group dance or two for their families, after enjoying a delicious meal at St. Mary’s Cultural Centre. The evening concludes with a band playing Ukrainian and country music for the duration of the evening. This year’s event held the first of February is sold out.
Dancers prepare to participate in two to three dance competitions in the spring, each year. For 2025, this dance club will be attending Lloydminster Ukrainian Dance on the Border Festival held at the end of March. As well, they will compete at Dauphin Zirka competition upcoming the last weekend in April.
“These competitions are a great opportunity to showcase the talent of the young dancers, compete for medals and scholarships as well as meeting other Ukrainian friends.”
The Kalyna Dance School is proud to host their own annual Kalyna Festival. This event began in 2002 and is open to all amateur dance groups and individuals. It has now expanded to a four-day, annual dance competition and festival that attracts 35 different dance clubs, over 950 dancers and close to 5000 people to the city of Yorkton.
Every year dancers as young as three years of age to the highly experienced and talented 60+ years travel from Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. Spectators are welcome and will enjoy authentic music, costumes, arts, crafts, and food. The 2025 Competition will take place on May 2 - 4, 2025 at the Anne Portnuff Theatre located in the Yorkton Regional High School.
Not only is Yorkton appreciative of the Kalyna Dance School’s long-time commitment to the cultural arts, the community benefits greatly from any events this group holds as any time visitors come to town, the economy will see spinoffs.
You can follow the club’s social media accounts which provides all the latest news, announcements and updates for Yorkton’s Kalyna Ukrainian Dance School.
