Sonia’s School of Ukrainian Dance (SSUD), based out of Warman, is celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, and with the current situation taking place in Ukraine, they feel as though celebrating the Ukrainian culture is more important now than ever.
Dancers from ages three to adult will be showcasing their talents on Saturday, May 7th at the Legends Theatre in Warman at 1pm and are inviting anyone from the area to come out and take part in this celebration. This event will feature a collection of all of the dances from the different groups showcasing various regions, dances and costumes.
“We are a small club with big hearts and have pridefully worked hard to share our Ukrainian culture over the past 40 years. If you aren’t Ukrainian, or don’t know much about the culture, it is very, very diverse. When it comes to dance, there are different regions of very specific dance moves and costuming and music,” SSOD Treasurer Erin Duff explained.
The costumes worn by dancers all come straight from Ukraine and Duff, who is not only Treasurer, but also a dancer and a mom of dancers, noted that they are absolutely beautiful.
This year, SSOD consists of approximately 30 dancers; however, Duff stated that there has already been an increase in interest for the next dance season, which runs from September to May. “Unfortunately, I think it is because of what is happening in Ukraine, but I think one of the silver linings is that people are looking for a way to reconnect to their roots and grab onto that culture again.” Registration for the next season will begin in June and dancers do not need to be Ukrainian to join.
“Having a dance recital may seem trivial, but really, what we are doing is preserving the culture and passing it onto future generations. I do think that others are looking for that and they are starting to realize the importance of continuing these cultural traditions,” said Duff.
SSOD has been working with two organizations to help those in Ukraine – Streams of Hope and The Ukrainian Patriot and Duff stated that those are good options for anyone looking to donate to the humanitarian efforts taking place.
More information can be found by visiting the SSOD website at www.ssud.weebly.com, or by visiting them on Facebook.
