KAMSACK — Sadok Ukrainian Dance marked its 20th anniversary with a mesmerizing year-end concert at the Kamsack Comprehensive Institute on May 2. The evening was filled with vibrant performances showcasing the talent and dedication of the dancers.
The concert commenced as the audience rose for the rendition of O' Canada and the Ukrainian National Anthem. Afterward, the tradition of presenting Bread and Salt preceded a series of captivating performances by the dancers.
From the graceful Poltava Dance by the beginners to the spirited Volyn Duet performed by Meesha and Marz Romaniuk, each act enthralled the audience with its precision and energy. The program featured a diverse range of dances, including the Hutzul Trio by the Intermediates, the Bukovina Trio by the Senior Introductory group, and the Roma/Gypsy performance by the Senior Advanced dancers, among others.
AnnaLee Parnetta, the instructor behind Sadok Ukrainian Dance, reflected on the journey of the past two decades. Saying, “Twenty years ago I had some little people come up to me when I started teaching here in Kamsack saying, ‘We couldn't dance. Could you teach us?’ Those kids are now in their 20s and I have to thank all families in the community. Whether you had a dancer, whether you had a relationship with a family that had a dancer, or when you were an adult who danced under my instruction. Twenty years has gone by pretty darn fast. And we've had over 100 students. We travelled to Grafton, and we've gone to Regina, to Saskatoon and Russell Man. And it's been amazing. I didn't think it would last this long and I feel privileged to still be able to continue here in the community as their instructor, and I hope for another 20 more years of Ukrainian dance in Kamsack.
“So if you know any people who are little or big. Interested boys and girls, registration is in September,” continued Parnetta. “I'll have to say it's probably one of the most inexpensive things your children can do in the community that will keep them busy. I look at some of the parents I know who at one point in time used to dance as children and now have their children dancing. It's a privilege to be able to teach them. It's a privilege to be able to share with them the knowledge that I do have, and I'm very proud of that this year.”
“We unfortunately did lose numbers. And we've grown smaller, not bigger this year. But I have to commend the children this year on the amount of effort and work and dedication that they gave to dance this year. They set themselves some very important personal goals. And when they came out of the festival this past weekend, they achieved them and they went above and beyond my expectations. And I'm so very proud to know that they have the parental support but also the belief in themselves that they can be better and they can continue on dancing, and that there's just more and more for them to come. And I'm just very happy for them and I look forward to the fall when we can come back together and dance again at the theatre.”
Highlighting the dedication and progress of the Sadok students, the concert also recognized their achievements throughout the 2023-2024 season of competiton. At the 21st Annual Kalyna Ukrainian Dance Festival in Yorkton, the dancers showcased their talent and brought home medals and commendable scores.
Those scores are:
The beginners’ Poltava dance won a score of 90 for a gold medal, and their Hutzul dance earned a silver with a score of 86.
The junior group earned a gold medal with a 90 for their Hutzul, and a pair of silvers with 86 scores in both Poltava and Transcarpathian.
The intermediates’ Poltava dance won a silver with a score 87 and another silver for an 85 in the Hutzul.
The Senior Introductory’s Transcarpathian dance won gold with a score of 90. Their Poltava dance and their Bukovyonian dance each earned silvers with scores of 86 and 87 respectively.
The Senior Advanced’s Volyn dance scored 90, good enough to win gold. They also captured a pair of silvers in Poltava (87) and Gypsy/Roma (88).
Meesha Romaniuk’s Poltava Solo dance earned a score of 89 for a silver medal.
Marz Romaniuk won silver in Volyn with a score of 87.
Meesha & Marz Romaniuk, with their Volyn Duet dance, scored 88 to win silver.
