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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Serenada, a Macedonian singing band, is shown performing during Saturday’s St. Nicholas Macedonian Folk Festival in LaSalle. Photo by Millar Holmes-Hill /Windsor Star

“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.”

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Young dancers with the Gerdan Jr Macedonian Folklore group are shown performing during the St. Nicholas Macedonian Folk Festival in LaSalle on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2025. Photo by Millar Holmes-Hill /Windsor Star

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. 

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Dancers with the Gerdan Macedonian Folklore group perform during Saturday’s St. Nicholas Macedonian Folk Festival in LaSalle. Photo by Millar Holmes-Hill /Windsor Star

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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A dancer with the Gerdan Macedonian Folklore Ensemble is shown performing during the St. Nicholas Macedonian Folk Festival in LaSalle on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2025. Photo by Millar Holmes-Hill /Windsor Star

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