Story and Photos by Kathleen Michalchuk

_IGP1408_bread salt & vinky with map fr reh_July25_2013

Members of Chaban Ukrainian Dance Group fit their headpieces and assemble the Pryvitannia bread and salt one last time before departing for a performing tour of Ukraine. Pictured are Jodie Hovey, Steve Hakala, Caitlin McQuarrie, Charlotte Chaulk, Dan Nahachewsky, Maddie Chorkawy, Chelsea Davidow, Sara Cooper, and Collin Harding.

This month, Thunder Bay’s Chaban Ukrainian Dance Group is embarking on an 18-day performing tour of Ukraine. The performing troupe consists of 18 dancers of an array of ages, who will be performing, participating in workshops and sightseeing their way across Ukraine in the company of family and friends. Key locations that Chaban will be visiting include Kyiv, Kharkhiv, Zaporizhia, Odesa, Chernivtsi, Selo Shuparka, the Carpathian Mountains, and Lviv. This will be Chaban’s second performing tour to Ukraine with their first visit being 2006. The dancers have been rehearsing two-three times a week since their regular dance season ended with a performance at the TBSO in May.

Нехай щастить!

_IGP1417_pointing at Ukraine map with vinky-hats_July 25_2013Ukraine-bound dancers from the Chaban Ukrainian Dance Group are all smiles as they set their sights on Odesa and Lviv, Ukraine, on the map that has been on their rehearsal hall wall for the past year. Pictured in regional headpieces are Caitlin McQuarrie, Collin Harding, Dan Nahachewsky, Maddie Chorkawy, Steve Hakala, and Jodie Hovey.