Ukraine dancers visiting region in support of local aid group

A junior Ukrainian dance troupe is staging a pair of performances later this month in the South Okanagan to help more people escape from their war-torn home country.

Members of the Calgary-based Tryzub Ukrainian Dance Society will perform Feb. 23 at the Venables Theatre in Oliver and Feb. 25 at the Cleland Theatre in Penticton. Show time is 7 p.m. at both locations.

Their visit is being co-ordinated by a group of compassionate locals under the umbrella of the Ukraine Nightingale Project, a newly formed local volunteer organization.

The project’s leader is Jennifer Martinson, who organized last year’s Sunflower Festival at the Heritage Hills community park in support of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, a registered charity and official humanitarian agency of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Funds from that event supported an ADRA campaign called 1000 Rides Out, which helps get food and supplies into Ukraine and refugees out.

Proceeds from the upcoming concerts will flow to the Ukraine Nightingale Project, volunteers from which are helping Ukrainian refugees get settled in the South Okanagan.

“After the success of the 1000 Rides Out events to raise funds to transport Ukrainians across the border to safety, I realized that getting them out of the war zone was only the first step in their journey,” said Martinson in a press release.

“We need to assist them to get to Canada, and then to support them as they integrate and settle into our communities. I am gratified for the overwhelming response from ordinary people in our South Okanagan communities who have stepped up in so many ways – together we can all make a real difference “

Tryzub — pronounced tree-zoob — is the Ukrainian word for trident, which appears on the country’s coat of arms. The so-named dance troupe will be accompanied by contemporary Ukrainian singer Ihor Bohdan. Both the troupe and Bohdan are donating their time for the South Okanagan performances.

Tickets for the concerts are $25 each and available online at www.ukrainenightingaleproject.ca.

Special to The Herald Members of Calgary-based Tryzub Ukrainian junior dance troupe pose for a selfie. They’ll be posing for plenty more pictures when they visit the South Okanagan next week.