Hromovytsia Ukrainian Dance Ensemble showcases its thunder

by Greg Karawan

CHICAGO -Still on a high from its successful tour of Ukraine - its first international tour - in July of this year, the Hromovytsia Ukrainian Dance Ensemble recently had a busy few weeks performing outside its normal realm of Ukrainian-based audiences.

Hoping to capitalize on its success in Ukraine, Hromovytsia was given the opportunity in November to perform at one of the largest dance festivals in the United States - Dance Chicago 2003 - at the Athenaeum Theater. Dance Chicago 2003 consisted of eight different programs, 27 performances, 250 individual acts and over 2,500 artists over the course of five weeks - attracting an audience of over 16,000 dance enthusiasts.

A videotape of the ensemble's highly energetic finale, "Hopak," yielded a personal phone call from the festival's founder and artistic-director, John Schmitz. Impressed with what he saw, Mr. Schmitz offered Hromovytsia, which is directed by Roxana Dykyj Pylypczak, a chance to perform among some of the biggest names in dance. In its first two performances at Dance Chicago on November 8 and 15, Hromovytsia executed the "Hopak" with the same precision, excitement and vigor as it did in Ukraine, ending both of the shows. Audiences erupted into standing ovations, thrilled by their first encounter with Ukrainian folk dance.

After what Hromovytsia thought was the conclusion of its Dance Chicago experience, there was a second phone call from the festival's curator. This one invited the ensemble back to perform two shows in the Dance Chicago 2003 Finale on November 30 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

This final program comprised festival favorites and new works. Among the other performers were professionals such as The Joffrey Ballet, River North Chicago Dance Company, Gus Giordano Jazz Dance, the Dutch National Ballet, and world-champion ballroom dancing duet Gregory Day and Tommye Giacchino. Hromovytsia was an amateur group nestled among an arsenal of some of the area's best professional dancers.

Once again, audiences embraced the "Hopak" with open arms and afterwards asked many of the ensemble's members: "Where have you been hiding?"

A personal invitation from the ballroom dancing champions followed Hromovytsia's final Dance Chicago performance. Thus, the troupe danced at an annual Christmas Gala at the Chicago Hilton and Towers on December 7. The evening's program listed the company's piece as a "special treat" for audience members.

With all the hard work and dedication demonstrated in 2003 by its artistic-director, technical director, costume designer and dancers, the Hromovytsia Ukrainian Dance Ensemble had hoped to spread its repertory wings beyond Chicago's Ukrainian community. In recent months it has done exactly that. With its accomplishments in both the tour of Ukraine and Dance Chicago 2003, doors have opened up for Hromovytsia - open doors that won't permit the troupe to "hide" any longer.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 4, 2004, No. 1, Vol. LXXII

| Home Page |