Local dancers fared well at the 24th annual Svoboda Dance Festival held at the Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts May 2 to 4 where 40 solo awards, 35 duet awards, 24 group awards and six adjudicator's choice awards were available.
The Dance Saskatchewan Youth Ambassador Award, which is the adjudicator's choice, went to local dancer Corey Koliniak, who also received solo awards for highest mark in male national 11-12, promising male Svoboda dancer open 12 and under and promising male Svoboda dancer open any age. He also shared duet awards for highest mark mixed national 11 to 12 years and for most promising duet Svoboda Dancers mixed national any age with Madison Butler.
Natalya Shevchuk received a solo award for highest mark choreography any age and, in a duet with Mausia Shevchuk, received the following awards: highest mark female national 12 and under; highest mark female national 11-12; highest mark female Hutsul 12 and under; highest mark Svoboda Dancers open any age.
Mitchell Bristow received solo awards for highest mark open any age, highest mark Bukovyna any age, highest mark male Bukovyna any age, highest mark male national 17-18, highest mark to a Svoboda male dancer any age and promising male Svoboda dancer open 13 and over. In a duet, he and Taylor Cave received a scholarship for highest mark mixed national 17-18.
In addition to the duet award, Taylor Cave received a solo award for promising female Svoboda dancer open 13 and over.
Bria Sieben received solo awards for highest mark novice any age, highest mark female national 8 and under and highest mark to a Svoboda female dancer open any age.
Drew Beavers received a solo award for highest mark female national 13-14.
Kaitlin Friesen received a solo award for highest mark female national 15-16.
Bethany McQuaid received a solo award for promising female national 13 and over.
Brianna Barclay received a solo award for promising female Svoboda dancer open 12 and under.
Jahnaya Patterson and Orianna Patterson received an award for most promising duet Svoboda dancers female national any age.
Brooklyn Lesko received a solo award for a promising female Svoboda dancer open any age and, with Jordan Reed, an adjudicator's choice award for most promising duet Svoboda dancers open any age.
In the small group category, Svoboda Dancers received scholarships for highest mark novice open any age, highest mark open 9-10, highest mark open 17-18, highest mark Svoboda dancers open any age and most promising Svoboda small group open any age.
In the large group category, Svoboda Dancers received scholarships for highest mark open 9-10, highest mark open 15-16, highest mark Svoboda large group 15-16 and most promising Svoboda large group open any age.