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Gordon Gordey, director and dancemaker: creating original Ukrainian dance in Canada – an autobiographical reflection of a 40-year creative journey with the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers of Canada

Faculty Advisor

Date

2014

Keywords

Ukrainian dance, Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, Canadian dance, folk music, folk ballet, traditional folk dance, choreography, danceworks, folktales, Maria Levitska, Yuri Shevchenko, Viktor Lytvynov, Andriy Shoost, Dave Ganert, Vasyia Club

Abstract (summary)

Gordon Gordey autobiographical reflection of a 40-year creative journey with The Ukrainian Shumka Dancers of Canada recounts his experiences creating his original artistic works with The Ukrainian Shumka Dancers of Canada. By documenting his dance concepts and librettos Gordey reveals his challenge to contribute original works to the canon of Ukrainian dance that is spiritually connected to generations of continuous cultural practice and resonates with 20th and 21st century audiences in Canada, Ukraine, Russia, and China. He speaks to evolving dance stories that embed themselves in viewer’s minds and become shared cultural touchstones in the evolution of our Canadian identity at home and abroad. Dance concepts and librettos for: Shumka’s Cinderella, Pathways to Hopak, Girl in the Red Dress TANGO, Vechornytsi (the multi-works in Life is a Cabaret), Eve of Kupalo - a Midsummer’s Night Mystery Masque and Voices of the Silenced are enhanced with photographs and video excerpts of the dances in performance.

Publication Information

Collected Papers on Ukrainian Life in Western Canada, edited by V. Polkovsky and M. Soroka, Ostroh Academy National University Press, 2014, Vol. XLVII, Part Seven, pp. 242-275.

DOI

Notes

Item Type

Book Chapter

Language

English

Rights

All Rights Reserved