From the Stage to Your Backyard
2020 was a year of pivoting and for Zoloto Dance Company, leaving the stage and dancing into backyards and hearts of Folklorama At Home clients was a shining light.
Zoloto was started in 1991 by the Matskiw family in Winnipeg. Keris Matskiw took her many years of dance study at All Saints Church to lead a group of eager teenage and adult dancers to be the best they could be. The group quickly grew in size and in spectacle of their performances, resulting in demand to start their own school to teach youth traditional Ukrainian ethnic dance.
With classes starting as young as 4 years of age, Zoloto has taught thousands of dancers over the years. They have earned many gold medals and trophies at competitions across Canada and have performed around the world.
Soon after its formation, Zoloto joined Folklorama. In 2011, Zoloto applied to have their very own pavilion in the festival. Each summer the Spirit of Ukraine hosts thousands of people to join in on their joyous celebration of the Ukrainian culture.
“Zoloto has always been eager to share their culture”, states Christian Hidalgo-Mazzei, Agency Producer. “The minute Folklorama announced the Folklorama At Home program, they were one of the first to reach out and say they were in.”
Whether it was dancing on a soccer field on Canada day or in a float in the Red River Ex parade, or in the streets in Costa Rica and Peru, Scott Gordon, Zoloto Treasurer and Spirit of Ukraine Pavilion Co-Coordinator, knew it was the perfect fit for them.
“While we were saddened with no Folklorama Festival this year”, states Gordon. “There was a void in our hearts, so we were thrilled to be a part of the Folklorama At Home program. To be able to share our gold standard of high energy perfection to a home audience was wonderful. The reactions from everyone were very rewarding.”
With every event, Zoloto’s heart and pride shone through.
“We are very proud of our heritage and love to show it off to the public and teach details of our culture to everyone,” states Gordon. “While we enjoy entertaining, it is more important to keep our ethnic arts, language and traditions alive. Through our dancing, we can pass this along to the next generation of Ukrainian Canadians and educate the general public as well. We feel it is important to pass along these cultural aspects so they are not lost to history.”
Bring Folklorama to your home, work, school, or play and help preserve culture for generations to come. Contact Christian at [email protected] to book your Covid-safe event today.