Traditional Valentine's Day fun in Calgary was as always - excellent. Great atmosphere, delicious dinner including a roast duck, great music, dancing and entertainment until two the next morning. But this year, audience was enchanted also by a beautiful cultural program by folk group Slnečnica (Sunflower).
In less than three years since its founding, Slnečnica evolved into an excellent dance and choir group that represents the Slovak community in Calgary on a truly professional level, even if all its members are volunteers and enthusiasts who perform Slovak art alongside their regular jobs.
Thanks to a financial assistance from the Office for Slovaks living abroad in Bratislava, the group could purchase beautiful Slovak costumes so their performances, in addition to the beautiful singing and dancing, also thrills viewers with a wide color palette of Slovak folk costumes.
Also this year, the band introduced new songs and dances from the Roma culture, because as we all know that the "gypsy" music vibrates in everybody his or her musical veins.
Slnečnica performs at many ethnic or Canadian events in Calgary and in Alberta, and thus enables Canadian audiences to learn about the Slovak culture and traditions and simultaneously enriching the culture of Canada.
Their performance on February 15 enchanted all, including the Valentines.
Text: Paul Carnogursky, Photographs: Lukas Beck
