Celebrating language and dance, the Ukrainian way
News
The Ukrainian community celebrates the 75th anniversary of Ukrainian language and dance in South Australia this month and everyone is invited.
The Association of Ukrainians in South Australia Inc (AUSA) is the unified voice of the state’s Ukrainian diaspora. The Ukrainian language and dance schools are community-run institutions that preserve and teach Ukrainian heritage, language, and folk dancing. They operate out of the Ukrainian Community Hall in Hindmarsh, and have a history spanning back to 1951 following the arrival of post-World War II Ukrainian migrants.
When Ukrainian refugees and displaced persons began arriving in Adelaide, Matthew Beovich (Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide at the time) showed incredible sympathy toward their plight and actively coordinated with Catholic orders across the city, including the Dominican Sisters at St Mary’s on Franklin Street and the Sisters of Mercy at St Aloysius, to open their existing classrooms and chapels to the new arrivals.
The first formal classes started in 1951, taught by Pan Mykola Sas and Pani Eugenia Andruchowich. The original location was in classrooms next to St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral on Wakefield Street, with concerts at the Adelaide Town Hall.
Dance teacher Bohdan (Bob) Lesiw said the Catholic community was very supportive.
“We used the Catholic premises for nine years,” Mr Lesiw said. “They gave us classrooms, and then eventually we built this place [in Hindmarsh] in 1960.”
Many members attend Wayville’s Our Lady of Protection Ukrainian Catholic Church and Woodville’s Saints Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church.
These days, the dance and language classes are also attended by new arrivals from the war-torn homeland. Parents gather upstairs for food and conviviality while their children hone their dance and language skills.
On Saturday 14 November the community hosts a special evening featuring the combined schools’ concert, dinner and zabava (celebration featuring live music and dancing) showcasing the talented students from Ukrainian Language School, HOPAK Ukrainian Dance School and Vodohray Bandura Ensemble. The event is a fundraiser to support children enrolled in the language, dance and bandura schools.
Ticket holders are invited to BYO dinner or purchase traditional dishes from the Ukrainian kitchen in the Kozak Club. Drinks available to purchase from the bar.
Mr Lesiw looks forward to celebrating joy through song and dance.
“No matter how much time passes, people still want that connection,” he said.
75 Years of Ukrainian Language and Dance School, 14 November, 5pm – 11pm, Ukrainian Community Centre, 64-66 Orsmond St, Hindmarsh, $20/ticket, children under 16 free, ukrainiansadelaide.com.au
