Cultural traditions shine through dance at LaSalle Folk Festival

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A vibrant display of dance and culture filled the Saint Nicholas Macedonian banquet centre in LaSalle on Saturday, as the second annual Folk Festival drew a large crowd to celebrate the diverse cultural fabric of Windsor and Essex County.
Dancers in vibrant traditional costumes showcased cultures from around the world, performing everything from Irish step dance to an African Kizomba flash mob.
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“It’s a very happy, very festive event,” said St. Nicholas Macedonian Orthodox Church president Vera Najdovska. “It allows us to promote, not just our culture, but everybody’s culture.
“It’s a way for us to get to know each other better too and that is important. All of these groups represent Windsor-Essex and we’re all united in this event together.”

From traditional Macedonian cuisine to dynamic dance performances, Saturday afternoon offered a feast for the senses, capped off by music from the Serenada Macedonian singing group.
The Folk Festival was organized by members of Saint Nicholas’s Gerdan Macedonian Folklore Ensemble.
Najdovska said the group formed in 2023 for Windsor-Essex’s Carrousel of the Nations multicultural festival. The ensemble, which started out with 14 adult dancers and 10 children, has now grown to include 40 dancers.

The festival, she added, helps raise funds for the group’s costumes and travel expenses for conventions across Canada and the United States.
“It’s such a pleasure to see all the groups,” Najdovska said. “It’s nice to enjoy the music and the dancing, but most of all, the people.”
This year’s festival showcased dance groups from Detroit, Mississauga, and Toronto.

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