Since we started in 1975, the Alberta Ukrainian Zirka Performers continues to show our pride in culture through music and dance. Zirka’s goals are to provide our students with a positive cultural dance experience with our strong heritage of dance excellence. For over two generations, Zirka has created some of the most authentic and intricate regional costumes, music, and dance performances.

 

The Alberta Zirka Ukrainian Performers (registered in 1979) was founded as the Calmar School of Ukrainian Dance in 1976 by a handful of visionary families interested in maintaining their Ukrainian heritage and culture through dance. Zirka is the Ukrainian word for STAR and describes our dancers, instructors, and families. We are proud that over 450 dancers from Calmar and the surrounding communities of Thorsby, Warburg, Leduc, Devon, Beaumont, Millet, Drayton Valley, and Edmonton have developed and shared their talents through our club since its inception. Our goal is to maintain and further enhance the Ukrainian heritage and culture through costume and dance. We are all united in a common love of music and dance. The Alberta Zirka Ukrainian Performers is a non-profit cooperative organization. Our dancers learn the meaning of cooperation, teamwork, sharing, respect, friendship, and the joy of performing.

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Zirka's Philosophy

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Ukrainian dance today combines elements of traditional Ukrainian folk dance, costuming and music with contemporary styles of training and performing. Zirka's mandate is to offer a high quality Ukrainian dance training program while providing the dancer with a strong background in traditional and contemporary Ukrainian dance. This is achieved through in-class training and stage performance experiences.

We strive to create a fun and respectful Ukrainian dance environment with the highest priority placed upon developing the required skills of technique and performance. In the classroom students will gain positive self esteem, learn to work together in a cooperative team environment and enjoy the pleasure of performing. We share a family environment that is inspirational, educational, and encourages a spirit of interest in Ukrainian dance and the Ukrainian culture. Our instructor(s) take great pride in sharing their love of dance and our families demonstrate their support through volunteering and fundraising for various projects and events.

 

All classes will train using Shumka's Syllabus for Ukrainian Dance and additional training goals set by the Director of Zirka. The Director will create an artistic plan and goals for the organization. Approximately 50% of class time will be spent on training and the other 50% of the class will be spent on choreography. As performances and competitions approach, the balance of the class will shift more to choreography cleaning and less on training. As the program grows, classes may require additional programs and classes. The following will demonstrate the amount of dances each class will learn during the year as more emphasis will be placed on training and proper technique to compliment learning choreography.