1. We are Ukrainians! We are Canadians!

Our Spring Celebration 1999 program is opened with the Kryla Performance Group welcoming you in the Traditional Ukrainian manner - the presentation of the bread and salt. This choreography is a multi-regional dance that encompasses all of the Ukrainian Dance Regions that Kryla presently stages. Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

2. Kozachok

This Central Ukraine dance is the Junior 1 group's second of the year. Keep up the great work dancers! Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

3. Chumaku

A first for Kryla - the Intermediate boys group - will perform their Central Ukraine dance that originates from the Salt Traders tradition. This style of dance is influenced from many regions of Ukraine due to the fact that the Salt Traders would travel across Ukraine selling their wares. Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

4. Bukovinian Medley

This Bukovinian dance with it’s the syncopated Dribonku (stamps) and such a large group of dancers is a challenge to perform, but it sure is a powerful piece! The Performance group will present this dance in Vegreville Festival later this year. Choreography & Staging: Bohdan Tkachyshyn & Nathaniel Ostashewski

5.  Malenki Tanets

The Beginners group performs their first dance choreography - from the Central region of Ukraine. We are sure you can tell that they continue to be excited to be performing on stage! Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

6. Hutsulka

The Senior girls group perform a dance from the Hutsul region of Ukraine. The western regions - Hutsulshchyna, Bukovyna and Zakarpattya all share a common figure in the dances - the circle or an open version the U. The circle figure relates back to the time when the pagan beliefs in worshipping the Cycle of the Sun were foremost and found in all aspects of village life. Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

7. Hopachok

The Junior 1 group present their first dance of the year - a Central Ukraine couple dance! These young dancers have been working hard all year - great work dancers! Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

8. Carpathian Holiday

The Performance group brings their newest choreography to the stage with this Hutsul region dance. Fast footwork, intricate rhythms, and fast moving patterns highlight this dance which this group will perform at the Vegreville Pysanka Festival later this year. Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

9. Zhentsi

Our junior 2 girls group performs this second dance of the year - a quick moving Central Ukraine dance. Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

10. Cajun Suite

As the Acadians were driven out of Nova Scotia, they travelled south into the U.S. and finally settled in the southern state of Louisiana, particularly near the city of Lafayette. These French speaking people were not well accepted in this area, so often they kept their cultural uniqueness hidden. In the late 1970's the exciting taste of Cajun and Creole cooking were discovered and enjoyed a rapid surge of popularity. Suddenly it became cool to be Cajun (from "A-ca-jan" or "Acadian") and the Cajun people had a revived sense of cultural pride. The original circle dances of the region had long been forgotten so new dance styles were born - hence the Cajun Waltz, Two Step and Jitterbug. This collection of two dances performed by the Canadian Folk Dancers brings this Canadian based dance style to stage for the first time - we hope you enjoy it! Choreography: Doyle Marko & Leanne Koziak.

11. Lyrical Solo

One of Kryla's past dancers, Kristen Sydora, returns to our stage to perform a solo from the Central region of Ukraine. Kristen attends the Edmonton Public Professional School of Ballet where she studies Ballet and Character Dance full time. Kristen returns every once in a while to share her experiences with some of the younger Kryla dancers and they are always impressed with her dedication and talent - we are too!

12. Kozachok

The Kryla Seniors (an all girls group) stage this traditional Central Ukraine dance. Although the Kozachok was originally a couples dance, during the time of the Zaporozhian Kozaku all women performed it because the men were off at war. The girls will be performing this dance in St Paul Festival next weekend - good luck girls! Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

13. Volynyanka

14. Polissian Kadril

With beautiful costumes imported from Ukraine, Kryla’s Performance group brings this region from the Northern part of Ukraine to life. This dance earned the highest mark given out at the Dauphin Competition last summer, and Kryla was invited to perform it at the Sunday Grandstand performance - which they did for a crowd of about 1500 people! Awesome achievement dancers! Choreography & Staging: Bohdan Tkachyshyn & Nathaniel Ostashewski

15. Kozachok

The Junior 2 girls bring their first dance of the year - a Central Ukraine dance - to the Kryla stage. We are sure that you'll agree these girls know their stuff! The girls will be performing this dance in the St. Paul Festival next weekend - good luck girls! Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

16. Old Sally Goodin' - Clogging Suite

Another guest performance by the Canadian Folk Dancers - this time in the styling of Appalachian Clogging. These clogging dances are based on small and large circle formations and we hope you’ll enjoy the suite's down home flavour! This style of dance originates in the Eastern Appalachian regions of North America and is currently gaining huge popularity in the social dance scene - you can even take cruises to Alaska these days while participating in "Clogging" workshops on the cruise! Choreography: Doyle Marko & Leanne Koziak

17. Shawl Dance

The Performance Group girls bring this lyrical dance to the stage again - we are sure that you will feel the emotion coming from the stage by the end of this dance! Choreography & Staging: Bohdan Tkachyshyn & Nathaniel Ostashewski

18. Bobon Dance

Characterised by intricate slapping and timing done with tambourines (Bobons), this dance will get you bouncing in your seat. Choreography & Staging: Bohdan Tkachyshyn & Nathaniel Ostashewski

19. Hutsul Legend

Join our Intermediate Boys as they embark on a Hutsul adventure full of surprises in the forest. Coming upon the largest tree in the forest the Hutsul woodcutters proceed to cut it down. But beware the Tree Elves whose magical powers put fear into the hearts of even the bravest of men! Who will rescue the men from those mischievous Tree Elves? Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

20. Bukovinski Tanok

This is the first Bukovinian Regional dance that these girls are performing and after much practice and dedication, they can clearly project the unique Bukovinian style that this dance displays. These girls are performing their dances at competitions over the next two weekends, and we are sure that they will do well - great work girls! Choreography & Staging: Nathaniel Ostashewski

21. Hopak