Ukrainian dance is alive and well in Portage la Prairie, thanks to the passion of students, teachers, and families who keep the tradition moving forward. Recently, two young dancers—Chloe Pierre and Addison Lapchuk—shared their experiences, alongside Chloe’s dad and co-instructor, Aaron Pierre, and primary teacher, Elizabeth Mandziuk. The joy of learning For Chloe, who is in Grade 8, Ukrainian dance is both exciting and fun. She says one of her favourite steps is the “coffee grinder.” “You kind of go into a Spider-Man pose and then swing your leg in front of you, like under your arm, and then just go really fast, I guess,” she explains. She also enjoys the costumes, pointing out that the blue one is her favourite because “when I spin, it poofs out and it’s really pretty.” Chloe says some of her best memories come from performing, especially when the group was invited to do two half-hour shows at the Thresherman’s Reunion. Her classmate, Addison, also lights up when talking about Ukrainian dance. She says spins are her favourite, while her trusty shoes hold a special place in her heart. “I like my shoes because I use them a lot,” Addison says with a grin. She recalls a fun memory from her younger classes, when students pretended to be farm animals. “We had a thing when I was in the younger classes when we got to pretend to be farm animals at the end, so. I decided to pretend to peck, peck, peck everyone and do stuff.” Family heritage and community spirit For Aaron Pierre, teaching Ukrainian dance isn’t just about steps and music—it’s about continuing a family legacy. He grew up dancing in Winnipeg with his sister, performing at Folklorama for 14 years. “It's hundreds of shows,” he says, sharing what he loves about seeing his daughter involved, “Just seeing [Chloe] in costume and hitting the marks, hitting the cues, getting the steps as we’ve practiced… and just kind of seeing her carry on our family heritage.” This fall, the group has moved into a new home at Boss Dance Academy, where Aaron says there’s already been new interest and registrations. Elizabeth Mandziuk, who shares teaching duties, also brings a deep connection to Ukrainian culture. “I love the spirit of Ukrainian dance, watching the energy, the vibrancy, carrying on the heritage,” she says. “In my family, my dad’s side of the family all came from Ukraine… and this is a tradition they brought with them over 100 years ago.” Her own journey started at age five, and it has carried her across Canada—even giving her the chance to perform for Queen Elizabeth II during her Golden Jubilee visit to Winnipeg. “We were told, oh, she’ll probably only watch for 30 seconds. Well, she watched for about two minutes,” Mandziuk recalls. “Queen Elizabeth would not be hurried.” Carrying the tradition forward For both the teachers and the students, the classes are about more than dance—they’re about building confidence, connecting to culture, and creating memories. Addison sums it up simply: “It’s different than most types of dances because it’s like a mixture of music, movement… and also it’s hard because you have to keep on moving. No breaks, no nothing.” Mandziuk says everyone is welcome to join, regardless of background. “You don’t have to be Ukrainian to do Ukrainian dancing. Everybody is welcome.”