Since I'm currently instructing in Ukrainian dance, I have focussed on trends in Ukrainian dance in Canada. Here's an article about some of the changes over the years: https://danceinternational.org/then-and-now-ukrainian-dance-in-canada-celebrates-130-years/. Attached below is also an article written by Alicia Ward of UVIC Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies from March 2021.
Some of the changes addressed in this article are whether or not to keep things "pure" or allow contemporary influences to affect Ukrainian dance. That goes from costuming, to colour schemes used, to the use of ballet lingo and foundation moves. Since Ukrainians living in Canada are already completely different than those living in Ukraine by location alone, we are able to make the choices of what historical/cultural elements we want to keep within our dance and what ones we want to discard. Our home here in Canada has a mosaic of other cultures as well as Indigenous cultures that cannot be completely removed from our Ukrainian Canadian culture.
One thing that wasn't mentioned in this article was the drying up of Ukrainian dance groups. When I was a young Ukrainian dancer (over 20 years ago ugh) there were several Ukrainian dance groups. Now in the Lower Mainland, there are only 2. We have just re-established a 3rd in the Upper Fraser Valley, but it has been challenging because no one has time or knowledge to run a non-profit, and there has been a lot of interpersonal drama causing barriers.
Another thing that has now changed since the writing of this article in January 2021, is hybrid and online Ukrainian dance instruction since COVID-19. I attended instructor training through Shumka online in from the luxury of my large (but overheated) living room in the middle of the summer in 2022, and I have an instructor who has offered to run online workshops for my students from the warzone in Ukraine while she does work with Ukrainian Patriot.
In response to these trends, I believe that I should do my due diligence on exploring the historical aspects of Ukrainian dance to make conscious decisions on what historical aspects of Ukrainian dance I would like to retain and what contemporary/Canadian cultural influences I would like to include within my instruction. In doing this, my instruction will be considerate and unique. I already acknowledge I prefer to use modern colour schemes (more matching), appreciate well planned choreography and lesson plans for classroom structure, but also enjoy giving students room for spontaneity by building in "free-dance/kolomeika" sections into our practices.
In response to the interpersonal drama and the lack of time/knowledge for Ukrainian dance non-profits, I am creating a toxicity-free dance space, encouraging people to leave their drama outside and working hard on setting healthy boundaries. Instruction will include accepting of different learning styles/needs, and discussion on acceptable behaviour between non-profit members, dancers, and parents. Our non-profit will have books/resources on running a non-profit available for members, and training opportunities provided for the next dancers to take on leadership, board and instructing roles to encourage continuation of our organization and Ukrainian dance.
Also, in response to online and hybrid changes, I have created a YouTube page for our group for training videos as well as providing their music via platforms like Spotify. Dancers are provided terminology and choreography information digitally, so they can practice in the comfort of their own homes with all the tools they will need to support themselves as needed. I believe being given these tools will better support their in-class performance, as well as provide flexibility for personal lives.
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