Since the Ukrainian Academy of Dance’s inception in 1987, Danovia has traveled to Ukraine six times to research dance, choreography and costuming. Her longest trip, from 1992 to 1993, lasted eight months, and provided the greatest boost to the school’s wardrobe. Danovia backpacked to many remote regions of Ukraine and collected Antique costumes of hand-woven natural linens and wools, as well as several beautifully embroidered and beaded treasures. During this trip, Danovia met the top costume designer in Ukraine at the time, Volodya Furyk of Bravo! Company in Lviv. Volodya designed an entire line of unique regional costumes from Bukovyna, Zakarpattia, Polissia, Volyn, and Podilla exclusively for Arkan Dance Company. The contribution to the wardrobe was invaluable, as these were regions of Ukraine that were unfamiliar to Ukrainian-Canadians at the time. The unique Bravo! costumes as well as various other factory-made Hutzul and Central costumes were brought back to Canada, along with an extensive array of red and black boots, lace-up kozachky, character shoes and postoly. Many dedicated parent helpers and seamstresses helped to build the Academy and Arkan’s wardrobe with the addition of new costumes, headpieces, accessories and props. This wardrobe is currently one of the largest Ukrainian cosutme collections in Canada, is painstakingly maintained, conserved and altered by new volunteers, and is expanded yearly to accommodate new repertoire.

Special thanks to:
Nadya Klymkiw, Marika Skocen, Mary Kuzan, Marian Lysiak, Sonya Melnyk, Sophie Parzei, Nadia Brechun, Olya Grod, Maria Chtchavinska, Kassandra Prus, Inga Bekbudova, Stefanie Masliwec