Two years after leasing space in Kam Lake’s Aurora Arts Studio, the Aurora Ukrainian Dancers have transformed it to meet their vision and plan to develop it into an arts hub for Yellowknife.
With support from the Yellowknife Ukrainian Association, instructor Erin Suliak said the group has renovated the building to create extra storage that can be used by dancers year-round for costumes, set pieces or equipment.
The studio is located at 113 Kam Lake Road, next to the Yellowknife Guild studio.
“We would like lots of folks to come and take advantage of the space because we know how difficult it is to find space in town,” Suliak told Cabin Radio, adding it is a relatively affordable location to rent.
“This is a unique space and a nice size for a lot of different kinds of things.
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“We have partners and folks who have rented from us or rented with us for years that take advantage, but it’s a 12-month studio for sure. We’d love to let people know that it’s available all the time with different classes happening. There may be more available times and less available times, but it’s a seasonal thing.”
The group currently has about 20 members ranging in age from four to 18, plus a newly added adult group. Rehearsals take place weekly from September through March, with additional practices leading up to an annual stage show at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre.
Over the years, the dancers’ performances have helped raise funds for various causes, including humanitarian relief in Ukraine at the start of the war. Suliak said learning the choreography and putting on a story-based production helps build confidence and pride among participants.
The dancers also organize a dinner and perform at Malanka, which is the Ukrainian New Year’s celebration.
“That’s a huge dinner and dance that’s been going on for probably more than 40 years. A lot of fun. Anyone can join,” said Suliak.
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“We have Ukrainian food and we have lots of social dancing and it’s a lot of fun for folks. People come year after year for that.”
Suliak said studios with wall mirrors are often hard to find, and having them makes it easier for performers to prepare shows or choreograph music videos.
Registration for youth and adult classes remains open until the end of September.
Suliak, born and raised in Yellowknife, has been dancing with the Ukrainian group – then known by a different name – since she was eight years old. She said her children’s involvement in dance inspired her to teach for about a decade.
“I feel the arts community in Yellowknife deserves as much boosting as possible, and having available rehearsal spaces is key for that,” she said. “
That’s a real challenge. I know because I’ve been here for a while, and I know how difficult it can be to find those spaces.”
Suliak said two things have kept her going: her love of dance and sharing that passion with others. Dance is also a way for her to connect with Ukrainian culture, which is very important to her.
“It’s just infectious, sharing that with other people and seeing how much fun they have and seeing how proud they are when they finally land a new trick or figure out a complicated turn, or the entire group finally nailed that combination so they all did it at the same time and it looked awesome,” she said.
“Those little rushes are just so wonderful to me. Then at the end of the year we can stand up on the NACC stage and tell you the story through dance.
“The pride in the kids when they stand on the stage and they know what they’re doing, and they smile and they do their best – that pride and self-confidence is really wonderful to see. It’s lovely to be able to share that with little ones, and then they get more and more confident through the years, too.”
