Dancing Beyond Borders

I am seeking funding to bring two internationally acclaimed Virsky dancers from Ukraine to Canada to provide a lucky dance group the opportunity to receive direct professional training from these world-renowned dancers. In the Ukrainian community in Canada, Virsky (the national dance group in Ukraine) dancers are seen as the heroes of the Ukrainian dance community and it is extremely rare to get an opportunity to meet them, let alone train with them. Alberta has one of the highest populations of Ukrainian diaspora in the world and our dance community is so vibrant. I aim to empower young dancers, strengthen cross-cultural ties, and inspire dancers from across Alberta.

What is the goal of this super interesting initiative?

This grant will make it possible to provide professional-level training to Canadian youth who would otherwise never receive access to it. This high-caliber mentorship will give these young dancers confidence, encouragement, build resilience, and strengthen their cultural identity and pride, which is especially important at a time where the country is literally under attack. Daily workshops would focus on advanced technique, regional choreography, and performance quality. On a more personal level, the dancers would be provided an opportunity to talk to the Virsky dancers about their personal successes in dance, their world tours, and their struggles as performers, to connect with the dancers on a more unique level.

How will the dance group be chosen? 

The Ukrainian Cheremosh Society is hosting their 40^th annual Ukrainian dance festival March 19-22, 2026. We host hundreds of dancers from across Canada at this festival and have previously provided thousands of dollars in scholarships. But this year, I would love to provide both scholarships AND the opportunity to train with Virsky dancers. To make this initiative the most impactful to the largest number of dancers possible, all dance groups that were chosen to perform at the Show of Stars, a dance show with all the highest marked dances from the whole festival, will be added to a draw and one dance group will be chosen as the winners of the workshops with the Virsky dancers. This chosen dance group will be awarded with studio time with the two Virsky dancers and train during a multi-day event. I would also encourage the chosen group to allow an open house style viewing opportunity for the last day of the workshop so parents, friends, and family could watch a rehearsal in real time.

And I know what you are thinking, what would the outcome and community impact be of this initiative?

I am glad you asked! I truly believe young dancers would be empowered to stay committed to the arts, a form of expression that is easily lost to social media screen time. Further, the confidence a dancer builds from one-on-one training from someone that is seen as a hero has a lifelong impact. These kids will get to feel pride in dancing, pride in their culture, and pride in advancing their skills with this rare opportunity. I would feel endlessly proud to say that we got to be the ones to provide this lasting memory for a group of dancers. Lastly, I think this initiative will strengthen bonds between the local Ukrainian community and the dance community in Ukraine. With the large influx of newcomers to Canada since the invasion in 2022, many dancers in our local community are kids escaping the war, that are trying to retain some form of community in a place that is far from home. Potentially bringing a piece of Ukraine to Canada for these kids would no doubt be comforting.