Dianna Bryk-Grabinski,

Winnipeg UNF President

The UNF School of Dance in Winnipeg has been in existence for approximately 54 years, since my childhood. In the early years – the late 1940s and early 1950s – a wide variety of activities was offered to the children: Ukrainian dance, Ukrainian choir, Ukrainian language, arts and crafts, and sports. Despite a brief pause in the operation of the school between 1955 and 1962, MUNO and our dance group always continued.

In 1962, the late Walter Klymkiw arrived at one of our MUNO dance rehearsals and announced that we needed a school of dance, for which he proceeded to request volunteers. Since no one volunteered, he appointed five individuals, including myself, and instructed us to be at the hall at 6:00 p.m. the following Friday. We were going to reopen the school. Why should the children of former MUNO members go elsewhere? Peter Hladun who formerly had taught at the School of Dance was to be the director.

Within a few years, we enrolled about 75 students, and Mr. Hladun suggested that the Senior Students move into a new group. This was the birth of the internationally acclaimed 'RUSALKA'. Peter then moved on to work with Rusalka exclusively and the UNF Executive appointed me the Director of the School.

Despite my nineteen years of age and minimal experience, I had great motivation. I wanted to prove that this young person the UNF had chosen would not disappoint them. I battled the prevailing mentality that anyone under forty was incapable of serious work. To further the organization, we must be prepared for a change of attitude.

The school became a tributary for Rusalka and within a few years enrollment grew from 75 to 400. It was one of the most popular dance schools in Winnipeg, and forty years later it still continues to be. Rusalka began to share their dance experience by going into the rural areas of Manitoba, establishing and instructing in new schools. As a result, Manitoba now has more semi-professional Ukrainian dance schools than any other province in Canada, many stemming from our founding efforts. In 1992 a group of young dancers traveled to Ukraine and earned new insight into their heritage.

The UNF School of Dance had never had a Board of Directors and the time had come to initiate such a board. My plan was to appoint six individuals to the Board, giving them the hands-on training and administration skills they would need to eventually serve on the UNF Executive. Most of these members were very young – approximately seventeen years of age – and I knew that their participation would ensure our school’s future, and our Branch’s success.

At our first board meeting, I recall informing these fine young people that at present, our school was at the top, and I expected our team to keep it there. We immediately began to make some very positive changes. Of course, just back from Ukraine, our morale was at an all-time high. Parents noticed, students noticed; our eagerness was everywhere reciprocated. Our mission was not only to educate, but also to share our Ukrainian dance experience.

In 1998 Walter Klymkiw again approached the School of Dance, this time suggesting that we reestablish MUNO with our senior dancers. Within a week a meeting was held, an executive was elected and MUNO was reborn in Winnipeg. Moments after the meeting, one of the new members stood up and made the following announcement on behalf of MUNO: "Ms. G" he said, "not only will we always be loyal to you and to the school of dance, but to the UNF as well." They have indeed kept their word.

The Winnipeg Branch saw a proliferation of cultural groups, including the renowned Koshetz Choir, the Rusalka Dance Ensemble, the School of Dance, and the Ukrainian National Youth Federation. But before long, it quickly became known that UNF was having serious financial difficulties. There was no money to pay bills, let alone renovate or operate a fifty-year-old structure. We feared having to close our doors forever.

Finally, after many years of avoiding the position of President, I succumbed and became their leader, hoping to save our branch, facility, and programming. Only team effort could generate the ideas we needed to salvage our Branch; our brainstorming sessions frequently numbered fifty or more members. I had applied to the City of Winnipeg for a grant, but we didn’t qualify for their a matching-dollar grant. After a long year of negotiating, the National Executive came through with a loan, allowing us to reapply to the City of Winnipeg. We received a grant that enabled us to renovate our facility and rebuild our organization. We secured our future and today our board has eighteen members, ranging in age from 20 to 70 years.

Presently, the Winnipeg Branch is obtaining the majority of their new membership through the School of Dance. The school organizes most of the fundraising events and through its members MUNO was reestablished. I proudly announce that Winnipeg has the only Dorist MUNO in Canada.

Ukrainian folk dance appears to be the most popular component of our culture. We must take advantage of this art form for the purpose of re-establishing our branches. These are the roots for our youth organization. Our youth is the future.

Winnipeg is in the process of turning our Branch into a family-oriented organization. We are the first Branch in Canada to offer a family membership, now very popular. Children join the organization with their family, and at an older age register as individuals. We organize events catering to both young and old, including a family Zabava, a family Malanka, a teen dance, and various MUNO functions. Because the school of dance has an enrollment of three hundred students, we plan to help rejuvenate the Koshetz Children's Choir, and to establish a children's Ukrainian Musical Theatre.

What can one do to revitalize their branch? What strengths can be utilized?

We must remember that all of our branches are unique. It is important to approach our challenges with an open mind to be able to change with the times, respect others and their opinions, and encourage our youth to get involved. Do not be afraid to give them responsibilities, cooperate with them and offer them support.

Our improvements in Winnipeg are not complete. We continue to have problems, but we are optimistic and we know that together everyone achieves more. The challenge for every organization is to build a feeling of interdependence because out of a synthesis of individuals results new energy and ideas. Our branch has accomplished a great deal to date, but it would not have been possible without hard work, dedication and teamwork. Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.