When Edmonton’s Ukrainian Nutcracker, Clara’s Dream, takes to the stage at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, there will be a local dancer who has one big obstacle to face every time she performs.
Lida Petriw has Type 1 diabetes.
“I was shocked,” the 25-year-old said about her diagnosis 10 years ago.
Petriw was in Grade 10 when she was told she had diabetes. She was always thirsty, had lost weight and was exhausted.
“You think your world is going to end,” Petriw told Global News.
Her doctor helped her realize she wouldn’t have to give up anything.
With a few tweaks to her daily routine, she’s been able to successfully lead a life as a professional dancer. In fact, she’s danced with the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers for eight years, and performed in Clara’s Dream for four.
Petriw closely monitors her blood sugar levels and how she’s feeling. She has an insulin pump and she keeps snacks close by when she’s rehearsing.
“Everybody laughs at me because I get to have snacks in the studio and no one else does,” she said about her fellow dancers, and how understanding they have been. “They’re OK if I have to take a break or if I can’t do something full out.”
The Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, Edmonton’s Citie Ballet, Viter Ukrainian Folk Choir and Ukraine’s Virsky and Kyiv Ballet joined forces for Clara’s Dream. Performances are Dec. 29 and 30. For tickets, visit the company’s website.