Spring is for celebration, green lawns, flowers blooming and dancers performing in the Okanagan.
The Zirka Ukrainian Dancers are capping off a busy dance year with its final performance at the Vernon Performing Arts Centre on Saturday.
With the Dolyna Dancers of Kelowna, Zirka’s senior dancers recently helped to present Baba’s Trunk, a look at the life of Ukrainian immigrants in the Okanagan.
“This weekend the Dolyna Dancers will join Zirka again to help present Vesna: Spring Awakening, a celebration of the awakening and resurrection of all natural things which have been important to Ukrainians for centuries,” said Nathan Fitch, Zirka’s artistic director and instructor.
Zirka’s dancers returned this week from the provincial Ukrainian dance festival in Mission excited by their strong performances and are ready to share them with a local audience.
The youngest group brought home two gold medals for their dances from the Hutsul and Poltava regions.
“These young dancers have really become a strong united team, which is surprising for such a young group,” said Fitch.
“Our intermediate dancers have also shown growth this year and came away with silver medals for their dances,” added Anna Paull, Zirka board member. “Our senior group made a strong impression with their Polissian and Hutsul and Buko dances. They brought home gold and silver medals for each of their entries in the competition.”
Vesna promises to be a celebration of dance and springtime with playful and energetic dances from five regions of Ukraine.
“Audiences love this lively dancing and respond well to the music and energy shared by these Zirka dancers,” said Fitch. “Last year many from the audience joined us after the show for the traditional Kolomenka dance, showing that Okanagan audiences truly appreciate the dance available here. You are most welcome to come and show your Ukrainian moves after the show this year too.”
Tickets to see Vesna: Spring Awakening, Saturday at 7 p.m. are available at the Ticket Seller box office, online at www.ticketseller.ca or by phone, 250-549-7469.
