Rusalka Ukrainian Dance — Digital Transformation
The most comprehensive project in the studio — a full digital transformation for Winnipeg's premier Ukrainian dance ensemble. A complete platform migration, rebuilt infrastructure, class registration system, and an ongoing monthly partnership that continues to evolve.
Rusalka is Winnipeg's premier Ukrainian dance ensemble — 60 years of performing to audiences around the world, with multiple schools, classes across age groups, and an active performance and events calendar. They were locked into an expensive agency arrangement with an outdated website that the organisation couldn't manage themselves. The brief was to change that entirely.
This wasn't a website refresh. It was a full digital transformation: migrating away from the agency, rebuilding on Squarespace with a modern information architecture, moving the organisation onto Google Workspace, implementing class registrations and online payments, and establishing a sustainable internal workflow that Rusalka could own and operate themselves. The engagement is ongoing — monthly maintenance and continued development as the organisation grows.
Approach
The starting point was independence — the organisation needed to own their digital presence without depending on an agency every time something needed to change. The migration to Squarespace gave them a platform they could manage confidently in-house, while the design brought the site firmly into the present: a structured navigation spanning Dance, About, Events, Support, Portals, and Contact, with dedicated flows for booking performances and registering for classes. Visually, the site was built around the ensemble's most powerful asset — performance photography — anchored by a dark, cinematic palette that reflects 60 years of stage presence. Google Workspace was implemented across the organisation, replacing fragmented internal communication and file management with a coherent, professional ecosystem. Class registrations and online payments were integrated to eliminate the manual process that had been burdening staff. Every element was documented and handed over in a way that made ongoing management genuinely manageable.
"Maksym completely transformed how we operate online. We went from being dependent on an agency for every small change to having a site and a system we actually understand and can manage ourselves. The registration system alone has saved us countless hours every season — and the site finally looks like the organisation we are."
Rusalka Ukrainian Dance
Here's How It Looks
How We Did It
Platform Migration
Full migration away from an agency-managed site to Squarespace — every page rebuilt, all content transferred, and the organisation trained and confident to manage updates independently from day one.
Digital Ecosystem
Google Workspace implemented across the organisation — unified email, file management, and internal communication replacing a fragmented patchwork of tools. The back office is as modern as the front end.
Registrations & Payments
Class registration and online payment systems integrated directly into the site — eliminating manual administration, reducing friction for families signing up, and giving the organisation a reliable recurring revenue pipeline.