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Saskatoon Ukrainian dancers return from South America tour

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Twenty-two years ago, a troupe of Ukrainian dancers from Saskatoon toured Brazil.

When they went back for another two-week South America tour recently, they discovered that a local bar still had one of the posters up from last time.

"That was really special," Pavlychenko Folklorique Ensemble artistic director Serhij Koroliuk said.

The theme of the tour is Two Worlds, One Soul and it also included stops in Argentina.

“When we were performed, they were spectators through the whole thing. Here they like to dance or clap during the dances," dancer Bethany McQuaid said.

"We thought they didn’t like our performance, but they wait until the end and then it’s so heartfelt,” McQuaid said.

This trip was supposed to happen in 2020 but was put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 23 dancers performed six shows with crowds of up to 800 people and received an overwhelming response according, to Koroliuk. They also danced with local Ukrainian dance groups.

“There’s a big diaspora in Argentina and Brazil and it’s quite active. It was great to meet Ukrainians there and do a show together and help Ukraine together,” Koroliuk said.

Some money raised during their shows was given to help those Ukrainians who fled the Russian invasion and will settle in Brazil and Argentina.

Now the troupe will take a week off before gearing up for performances at Folkfest at the Karpaty Pavillion and Ukrainian Day in the Park later in August.

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