Next generation of lawn bowlers gets a lesson

St. John’s

North End

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/09/2023 (846 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There are many ways to form a connection, sometimes in the most unlikely of places.

In the final week before the return of regular school, Rozmai Dance School orchestrated a five-day camp out of the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral, put together to instill “rhyme and rhythm” into the schedule of approximately 45 kids.

The class, separated into age groups of 5-6, 8-9, and 10 and up, were children of both Winnipegger and Ukrainian newcomer families, with the majority of them only fluent in the Ukrainian language.

The camp primarily focused on dancing lessons. However, the kids had a variety of different activities presented to them during the afternoons, such as art, music, and most surprisingly — lawn bowling.

On Aug. 30, the participating children ventured next door for lawn bowling lessons at St. John’s Lawn Bowling Club, located in St. John’s park. The lessons were voluntarily instructed by regular members at the club, and covered the simple basics.

For a lot of the children, it was their first time even holding a bowl — never mind throwing it across the green. But, to Ben Hochman and Anastasia Sych-Yereniyk, the dual organizers of the outing, they’re “the next generation” of the sport — and the event, as well as events like it, play an important role.

“It’s critical for their success in school, and progressing their learning” said Sych-Yereniyk, director of Rozmai Dance School, adding that, the original idea for putting the camp together came from how antsy the newcomer children were beginning to act while she was looking after them at the church over the summer.

“(The children) need the rhyme and rhythm to help them listen to adults and learn how to build trust,” she said, as they navigate what’s still an unfamiliar city and begin the transition into a regular school schedule.

The parents here in Canada with them are busy with work, Sych-Yereniyk explained, and the children can’t just go out and play with their friends like they were used to doing at home. Many of them don’t have access to familiar, stay-at-home guardians, either, because of the variety of different families that have had to flee.

“A lot of them don’t have their fathers, don’t have their grandparents, because some grandparents would rather have missiles over their head than come with them,” she said.

“The Ukrainian culture in Canada is different from Ukraine,” said Jeff Kozak, a director at the camp. “It’s a culture we’ve hung onto from 100 years ago, when the first waves (of refugees) came, and they were practicing what they knew.”

“Our camp here is an opportunity to share our dancing … our version of Ukrainian culture. We’re trying to give them an experience that is more common here,” he continued.

Kozak is fluent in Ukrainian, and interpreted the lawn bowling lessons for the Ukrainian kids present, but noted that even the version of the language spoken in Winnipeg is different from what the children are used to.

“Many are within their first year of being here,” he added. “It’s tough.”

This is a big step, however, in helping the children learn to trust and listen to the new adults in their lives. The popsicles handed out after the lessons helped, no doubt.

For more information on the Rozmai Dance School and professional Ukrainian dance company, visit rozmai.dance

For more information St. John’s Lawn Bowling Club, whether that be about lessons, or becoming a member, call Hochman at 204-338-2524