World Dance for Humanity connects with Ukraine on Zoom

Santa Barbara organization brings world together during Sunday sessions

Editor’s note: This is the sixth and final article in a News-Press series on local efforts to help Ukraine.

By KATHERINE ZEHNDER NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Every Sunday at 10 a.m. PST, Santa Barbara-based World Dance for Humanity holds “Dance and Dialogue” Zoom calls with Ukraine.

It’s a chance for Americans to comprehend the realities of war, and for Ukrainians to escape from it, even just for an hour. There are tears, laughter and an outpouring of love, support and gratitude.

This past Sunday, 48 people joined the weekly Zoom call from Santa Barbara, Oregon, Alaska, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Idaho, Kherson, Kyiv, Brovary, Odessa region and Mykolaiv.

“Dancing during a war is a very strange concept,” Janet Reineck, founder and director of World Dance for Humanity, told the News-Press.

But she added, “Through time, we have realized that music is a way that we can connect, by moving together to Ukrainian music of all kinds. There is a phenomenal amount of beautiful Ukrainian music. This is how you get America to ‘feel’ Ukraine.

“On the Zoom call, some move, and some just sit there. It is a very unique and personal experience for everyone.”

Dr. Reineck holds a master’s in dance ethnology from UCLA and a doctorate in anthropology from UC Berkeley. Her goal in creating World Dance in 2010 was to share the joy of international music and dance while serving people in need.

These weekly Zoom calls have