Conceptualising “Ukrainian-ness” in Dance

As part of the visit of Dr. Andriy Nahachewsky (University of Alberta, Canada) to the Institute of Ethnomusicology, you are warmly invited to attend his lecture entitled Conceptualizing “Ukrainianness” in Dance.

The lecture will take place on Wednesday, 17 December at 10:00 in Gosposka Hall, ZM GIAM ZRC SAZU, and will be held in English.

Conceptualising “Ukrainian-ness” in Dance

Whereas dance activities can (re)present identity on many levels, it is perhaps most famously imagined as a symbol of “national” identity. In this paper, I explore 5 different ways in which ethno-identity dance has been concieved as “Ukrainian” by expert leaders in the field over the decades. At different times and in different societal situations, the leaders each developed concepts that highlighted certain kinds of dances but just tolerated or excluded others. I provide explanations for their ways of understanding “Ukrainian-ness” and present examples of the kinds of dances each prefered. This survey engages with concepts of “folk,” “the people,” “tradition,” “heritage,” and “authenticity.”

Andriy Nahachewsky

Dr. Andriy Nahachewsky is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta in Canada. He was the founding Director of the Kule Centre for Ukrainian and Canadian Folklore. His research interests and publications include ethnic identity and dance. He has conducted fieldwork projects in Ukrainian communities in eleven countries. One of his research themes is transition, recontextualization, and revival, which can be very diverse in various cultures, genres, and communities.