The senior dance students with the Weyburn Ukrainian Dance Club have about 50 years of dance experience collectively, and took part in two dance competition within the last six weeks.

A total of five dances were entered and the group received a medal for every dance.

They travelled to Russell, Man., and competed in two dances, the Hutsul and Podillian. The group received two silver medals with marks of 89 per cent for both. The same group competed in Yorkton as well.

They entered three dances, Poltavski, Hutsul and Podillian. In Poltavski, only their second time performing this for the public, they earned a bronze medal with a mark of 86 per cent. They went on to earn a silver medal for Hutsul with a mark of 89 per cent, and for the final dance, the Podillian, they won a gold medal with a mark of 90 per cent.

The senior dancers include Kallie Colbow, J.J. Finney, Carly Fraser, Trisha McLeod. John Roome and Sydney Schultz.

The junior dance group is comprised of Dane Colbow, Jesse Sidloski, Moriah Fraser, Kaitlin Knupp and Jordan Kerr. They competed in Regina recently and were awarded a mark of 89 per cent.

The Weyburn Ukrainian Dance Club held its first-ever Vesna celebration on April 16 at the Weyburn Curling Club, attended by over 300 people, with Ukrainian food provided by Edwin Eberle and his crew. Heather van der Breggen and the senior dancers provided the decorations for the evening.

The students of the dance club provided the entertainment, along with Gloria Stushnoff of Melfort. The mistress of ceremonies was Holly Fraser of Stoughton.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of vinok. The female senior dancers were welcomed into young adulthood by their families. A wreath made of ribbons and flowers was placed on their heads by their mothers. The vinok recipients included Kallie Colbow, Carly Fraser, Trisha McLeod and Sydney Schultz.

This was followed by the poyas presentation, which involves the young male dancers also entering young adulthood. A new belt was presented to the dancers by their mothers. The recipients were J.J. Finney and John Roome.

Solos, duets and group dances were performed by the students. The dances were from the Poltava, the Huzel and Podillian regions of Ukraine.

Jari Fleck, the head instructor for the Ukrainian Dance Club, was presented with a single long-stemmed rose from each of her dance students. Co-founders of the relatively new dance club, Sandy McLeod and Deanna Pierce-Colbow, were presented with bouquets of flowers from the senior dance members.

The Weyburn Ukrainian Dance Club will hold their spring registration for the 2005-06 dance season in June.