Returning to the stage was special for Prince Albert’s Kaydence Pellerin.
The 17-year-old dancer is a part of the Rushnychok Ukrainian Folk Dance group in Saskatoon. She took home nine medals in nine performances at the recent Lloydminster Ukrainian Dancing on the Border Festival.
“It really meant a lot to me to be able to perform again after three years of not being able to do that,” Pellerin said. “It was really nice to be back on stage especially with everything that’s going on with Ukraine. It felt like I was dancing for them and to be able to showcase Ukrainian culture around Saskatchewan and it was a really good experience.”
Pellerin danced with the Barveenok in Prince Albert for 11 years before joining the Saskatoon club.
She won Gold Medals in three solo dances in Lloydminster, along with gold in four group dances and two duets. All but one dance score was a 93.
Pellerin said it was special to be back dancing.
“It was a little bit emotional to perform on stage,” she said. “I really missed it,
The festival was Pellerin’s first performance since COVID started, but not her first medal haul. A Grade 12 student from Carlton, Pellerin is a highly honoured dancer who won the best local dancer award in 2018 and has collected over 200 medals in her 13 year Ukrainian Dancing career.
“It is one of my biggest passions to showcase my abilities and to dance for other people,” she said. “It was very emotional to be able to perform on stage, especially with everything that is going on in Ukraine. It was maybe even more worthwhile.”
Pellerin went to Saskatoon to perform because there was no oportunity in her age group after the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The Lloydminster Ukrainian Dancing on the Border Festival was from March 24 to 27. Pellerin will have more opportunities to perform in the future.
“We have a competition in Saskatoon at the end of April and we have another one in St. Albert at the beginning of May,” Pellerin said.
