TUDC FAMILY

JESSIE BALAN

Jessie is very excited to be serving as the instructor for TUDC this dance season and looks forward to sharing his passion for Ukrainian dance in the same studio where he spent many years training himself. Beginning Ukrainian dance classes in Radway at the age of 8, Jessie continued to dance in the rural communities of Radway and Thorhild until the age of 14 when he also began taking Ukrainian dance classes at Yatran Ukrainian Dance Academy in Edmonton. Dancing in both rural Alberta, as well as in Edmonton, provided Jessie with the opportunity to learn from many different instructors before joining the Volya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble in 2012. Under the tutelage of Zhenia Bahri, he has traveled to the United Kingdom, Greece, Colombia, and Croatia on international tours with the ensemble. In addition to sharing his love of Ukrainian dance around the world with Volya at international festivals, Jessie was fortunate enough to be a part of the ensemble's 25th Anniversary celebrations on home soil, culminating in an unforgettable show at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. While Jessie enjoys serving Volya as a cast member for their performances, he has also served on the ensemble's Executive Board since 2014.

ODESSA BAHRI

Odessa Bahri began training in both ballet and Ukrainian dance at the age of 4. She was so passionate about dance that at the age of 8, she started to take lessons in other genres, including jazz, contemporary, lyrical and modern through Shelley's Dance Company. There she had the opportunity to attend workshops with many world-renowned choreographers, such as Stacey Tookey and Keltie Colleen. Odessa's passion for kids and their success led her to be a Co-Director of the For Kids by Kids Benefit Concert where she helped raise over $33,000.00 for the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation.

Odessa currently dances with the Volya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and has been able to tour with the ensemble to Greece, Colombia, and Croatia. In addition to performing with Volya, she has sat on the executive since 2017.

To expand on her dance experience, Odessa began teaching at the Volya School of Ukrainian Dance and assisting with the Koperoush School of Ukrainian Dance. Odessa is very excited to be a part of the TUDC family!

EXECUTIVE