The Rosa Urkrainian Dance Club, with two guest dancers of Benito, held its 14th annual Malanka celebration on January 26 at the Norquay Communiplex.
Chantel Nokinsky, a former Rosa dancer and alumni of the Club, was the emcee for the evening and welcomed everyone to the banquet and program.
“On behalf of the Norquay Rosa Ukrainian Dance Club, I would like to welcome all of you here to our celebration of Malanka 2019. Vitaemo! ( Vee-Tie-ye-mo.)
“We are very fortunate to be able to enjoy the age-old tradition of being greeted by music as we enter the door. Thank you so much to Ed Maga and Gus Legacy of Benito.
“Malanka, or Shche-driy Ve-chir, is the celebration of Ukrainian New Years, as friends and family come together to wish each other health, happiness, and prosperity in the coming year.
As we acknowledge the past and look towards the future on this evening, we also take this opportunity tonight to celebrate the interconnectedness of our community.
“Just as the strands of dough for the braided bread, the Kolach, are intertwined, so all of 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), the Welcome Dance, and to share it with each of you in the traditional manner.
“In our Malanka tradition, we begin the evening with the traditional presentation of bread and salt in the Welcome Dance. 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.”
The Welcome Dance was performed by the Group 5 dancers, Jaxson Lindgren, Emily Livingstone, Megan Nystedt, Kortny Wasylyniuk, and Taylor Wasylyniuk, with some of the youngest members in Group 1, Quinn Gazdewich, Willow Tall, Bridgette Lukey, and Serenity Lozinski presenting the bread and salt.
“Ladies and gentlemen, pryvit (pre-veet.)”
Nokinsky read the following as the little girls walked on stage: “With this bread and salt we greet you here today to celebrate and wish you another year of good health, of prosperity, of family blessings, and of celebrating our Ukrainian culture.”
The Group 4 dancers, Reese Reine, Lily Kish, Lexie Lindgren and Sarah Lukey went from table to table with a plate of the Kolach and some salt to welcome those in attendance.
“Bread is regarded as one of the holiest foods as it contains wheat, a staple of life. The Kolach bread represents the warmth of Ukrainian hospitality which we hope to share with you tonight.
The salt symbolized friendship, an eternal friendship that will never sour because salt is not corrupted by time, therefore it never loses its flavor,” Nokinsky said.
“The actual practice of offering bread and salt to guests dates back through the centuries. Bread with salt were presented upon a ‘rushnyk,’ or ceremonial cloth, while the host would say ‘With this bread and salt we greet you.’
“The recipient would then accept the offering by bowing and kissing the bread after which they hand it back to the host. They could also break off a small piece of bread, dip it in the salt and eat it. The remaining bread could be consumed at the gathering or taken home by the guest.
“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.”
Beginning with a traditional Ukrainian carol Boh Predvichnay (Pred-veech-nay), or God Eternal, and then grace by Jennifer Lindgren, supper was served.
The banquet was prepared by Roxanne Boychuk, and her staff of RB’s Restaurant and Catering Company.
“This evening we not only celebrate the New Year, but also celebrate the Norquay Rosa Dance Club’s 39th year of practicing, perfecting and performing Ukrainian dance,” Nokinsky said. “The club, including our Adult dancers, currently consists of dancers from the areas of Norquay, Hyas, Swan Plain, Pelly, Danbury, Sturgis, Kamsack, and Preeceville.
“It does not go un-noticed that the Rosa Dancers are fortunate to have such a talented instructor and choreographer in Serhiy Zabutnyy, who always brings out the best in every dancer and brings new and enjoyable dances to the stage every year.
“Our children have been working on their dances since September, and while the dances may not be quite ready to take to competitions yet, the dancers have prepared a lovely showcase of their performances to share with you this evening.
“All of the dances presented by the Norquay Rosa Dancers in this showcase are from the Poltava region of Ukraine. Poltava is one of the more recognizable forms of Ukrainian dance and the region you will see most often performed by Ukrainian Dance groups in Canada,” she said.
The Group 3 dancers then performed a Poltava dance. They were: Jesse Lukey, Makayla Shankowsky, Emerson Westerlund, Jordyn Kazakoff, Whitney Macdonald, Liam Kish, Bristol Lindgren, Westin Lindgren and Eryn Wasylyniuk.
Nokinsky introduced a special addition to the evenings dance showcase, two dancers from the Benito Vesseli Dance Club, Jessica Hack and Storym Osatchuk who performed a Volyn dance.
The next presentation was the youngest dancers, Group 1, aged four to six, who demonstrated the beginning basic steps of the Poltava dance. This group was Layla Kish, Jordan Lukey, Bridgette Lukey, Willow Tall, Serenity Lozinski, Quinn Gazdewich and Jordyn Killniak.
They were followed by Group 4, Lily Kish, Sarah Lukey, Lexi Lindgren and Reese Reine; Group 2, GraceLynne Peters, Emmarie Holinaty, Peyton Holinaty, Chesney Westerlund and Madison Auchstaetter; guest dancers Storym Osatchuk and Jessica Hack, presenting a Poltava duet, and Group 5, Kortny Wasylyniuk, Emily Livingstone, Taylor Wasylyniuk, Jaxson Lindgren and Megan Nystedt.
The entire dance ensemble performed the show finale, the Kolomeyka, a dance that allowed the dancers a chance to perform their favourite steps and dance along with their siblings.
Nokinsky, on behalf of the Norquay Rosa Dancers, acknowledged “the members of our communities and surrounding areas, for your continued support of the dance group over the years. The support and interest shown by you towards our dancers provides them with invaluable opportunities to explore, experience, and enjoy Ukrainian culture and traditions as they grow.”
Saying much organization and planning goes into running a dance group, the parents and Club executive were acknowledged for their “continued support and enthusiasm.”
During the evening, draws were made for donated raffle and door prizes. The silent auction winners were announced as well as the winner of the 50/50 draw.
The evening concluded with the Zabava dance, with music by Marko’s Music of Leoville.
