The Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company has never been more proud of its mother country than in February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Instead of folding and waving the white flag of surrender, Ukraine fought back with unmatched courage and a show of resilience, drawing support and praise from around the world.
The Edmonton-based folk-dance company has planned a tour of Europe from June 30 to July 15. To some degree, the tour is an act of resistance against Russian aggression — a reminder that Ukrainian culture lives despite the cascade of drones and bombs on its soil.
The company’s next appearance at the Arden Theatre on Friday, June 13 prior to the tour is more than an artistic performance. Broadening Horizons: A Celebration of Dance from Cheremosh is a powerful display of a united Ukrainian pride that crosses geographical boundaries.
“We are very proud of who we are and who we represent. We try to get the message out that Ukrainian culture is not dead,” said Samanatha Aloisio, tour coordinator.
For the Arden production, artistic director Mykola Kanevet’s has developed a three-pronged event. The 26 semi-professional dancers slated to tour the Balkans, Montenegro, Albania, Croatia and Bosnia will perform six dances from different regions.
“All our dances have brought international acclaim. We like to do a show before we leave on tour; it’s a good practice run. Although Mykola trains us well, there is nothing that compares to dancing in front of an audience,” said Vanessa Wiebe, show coordinator.
Kanevet’s intricate choreography blending folk dance with ballet, spectacular costumes and dynamic recorded music by the National Orchestra of Kyiv, display multiple levels of artistry. They audience is treated to a visual format of men leaping to amazing heights, performing breathtaking acrobatics, while women spin across the stage radiating grace and beauty.
This main ensemble launches the dance night with Kanevet’s choreography of Rapsovia.
“It’s a five-minute dance in the style of hopak. Mykola has choreographed a more modern version of hopak, but it still shows the girls’ spins and the boys’ tricks and acrobatics,” Wiebe, said.
The two-hour performance also showcases performances from 14 student dancers selected from three Academy groups studying Ukraine's diverse regional styles.
The production’s finale is titled Edmonton Hopak, a glittering showcase of tricks, spins, and jumps.
“It shows off the Canadian-Ukrainian influence in true hopak style. It’s a crowd favourite. There are lots of boys’ solos and tricks. It’s at the end of the show and dancers are tired, but they give it a special jolt of extra energy.”
Broadening Horizons runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $42 (includes handling charges and fees). Call 780-459-1542 or go online to tickets.stalbert.ca
