AN APPRECIATION: Dancing with Pani Roma (06/06/04)

AN APPRECIATION: Dancing with Pani Roma

The following article was written on May 20, 2004, by a former student of Roma Pryma-Bohachevsky on the occasion of her 40th anniversary. Ms. Pryma-Bohachevsky passed away on May 23. The article is presented here unaltered, in the spirit in which it was originally written, as a celebration of Pani Roma's life and an expression of the love and esteem in which she was held by those who knew her.

by Tania Zazula

This year, our own prima ballerina, Roma Pryma-Bohachevska, celebrates 40 years as teacher and mentor to two generations of Ukrainian children and young adults. Pani Roma, as she is affectionately known to all, began her teaching career in New York City with the opening of the Roma Pryma Bohachevska School of Ballet. She came to us on the heels of her international training and status in dance, her whirlwind tours throughout Europe, Central America, Canada and the United States, her contacts with the luminaries of the dance world, to teach us her unique perspective on this demanding and rewarding art form.

Pani Roma's childhood in Lviv was filled with music, art, theater and poetry. Her mother was an accomplished singer and pianist. Her father was a physician in love with the arts. She describes their home as a center where artistic soirées were the norm, where "noted artists of the pre-war Lviv bohème were frequent guests." Her love of dance emerged early and was nurtured by her parents. She was mesmerized by the beauty of Ukrainian folk dance, particularly the "magic of the Hutsul dancers" when she would visit her grandfather, a priest who lived in the Carpathian mountains.

Pani Roma began her dance studies at age 3, at age 8 entered the Lviv State Opera School of Ballet, and at age 14 became the youngest soloist with the company. Valentina Pereyaslavets, renowned prima ballerina, was an early mentor and helped her to prepare for her roles. Pani Roma studied at the Vienna Academy of Arts and Music for three years, graduating cum laude, and following her graduation was engaged as prima ballerina at the State Opera House in Innsbruck, Austria. She toured throughout Europe and Central America, choreographing her own performances. Press releases from the major cities of Europe - Paris, Geneva, London, Munich, Athens, to name a few - refer to her technical virtuosity, beauty, charm, originality and poetic movement. They refer to her unique blending of balletic form and traditional Ukrainian folk dance and to the beauty of the ancient movement forms and cultural legends that she incorporated into her works.

She has said that she is most proud of that aspect of her international career that "was a revelation for the non-Ukrainian audiences; they saw not only our beautiful dances, but also our history, and they loved and understood it." In combining classical technique with character dance and pantomime, Pani Roma presented our culture to the world in the loveliest of forms.

She subsequently moved to Canada, where she became guest artist with the Winnipeg Royal Ballet, and later soloist with the Ruth Sorell Dance Company of Montreal, while continuing to give solo recitals throughout Canada and the United States. She settled in New York City and continued her studies with the leading dancers and teachers of the time: Mme. Pereyaslavets, Martha Graham, and Agnes DeMille, among others. The choreographer John Taras was her colleague and friend. Mme. Karinska designed many of the costumes for her solo performances.

Throughout the years, she has taught students at her school and in numerous workshops throughout the United States and Canada: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maine, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver. Pani Roma, who says that dance "was and still is my biggest love - a true life's vocation," also says that perhaps her greatest achievement has been "teaching our young people from the United States and Canada the art of dance, presenting our folk dance in a stylized scenic stage form, and training them in the various dance techniques so necessary to show our Ukrainian dance on the highest level possible." Some of her students have become professional dancers with leading companies.

This is the international prima ballerina and choreographer who first opened her doors to us in New York City. We were very young children, those of us who began at her school. The photos tell it all - we were pint sized! She helped us to grow up with the grace and elegance and discipline of dance. Years later, a high school English teacher who came to see Pani Roma's ballet "Kvit Paporoti" wrote this to me in a note: "Today I saw in your performance the same dedication and discipline that I see in your class work. May you never lose these wonderful traits in your life." A mother of a young student once commented: "I hope that my daughter will pick up some of Pani Pryma's lovely manner and charm." Her influence extended far beyond the dance studio.

We began as a formal ballet school. Pink tights and black leotards, ballet slippers - were de rigueur. Our hair was swept back ballerina-style and we began with bar exercises, as all dancers do. Then came the floor exercises, the adagios, the pirouettes, the jetés in line across the room - ending with a slow graceful bow. Pani Roma led the way, often in a long flowing ballet skirt. I can still hear her in my mind: "and again, and again, point your toes... watch the arms!" She believes, as all classically trained dancers do, in the absolute necessity of the rigor and form of ballet. "Ballet is the foundation," she says, "Through ballet I have wanted to elevate the beauty of our national dance to another level." And this she has done.

Our mothers and grandmothers brought us to class, and watched us with pride. They were part of Pani Roma's circle of grace. They were artistic contributors to the grand vision - sewing our costumes into the night - fairies, demons, princesses, boyars, mice, fireflies, flowers, Ukrainian national costumes of every region - they attempted it all, with extraordinary outcomes. As a young child I looked forward to every new production. This meant the fun of new choreography and music. It also meant "the trip downtown" to the fabric district, where Pani Roma (often with my mother in tow) would dream up the much-anticipated costume. I could hardly wait to see the colors and textures of tulle, silk, and gold or silver lamé for our ballets, or the velvets and flowers for our folk dances. We were prolific! We danced everywhere - in major recital halls, at New Year's Eve "zabavas," in school auditoriums - wherever there was an opportunity for dance, we appeared.

This enthusiasm now lives on through the "Syzokryli" dance ensemble. Under Pani Roma's direction, choreography and production, it continues to enchant both Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian audiences with her inimitable perspective on dance. And in her schools, there is a new generation of mothers - waiting, observing, supporting.

Pani Roma is an artist through and through. Her artistic vision has never failed to impress. We watched her create - from the first choreographic step to the final touches on a costume - and we learned innumerable lessons. Lessons on form, discipline, beauty, attention to detail, authenticity, flair... a deeply ingrained feel for our cultural heritage... From the first movement of a tiny snowflake in her inaugural tutu to the final exuberant step of a Hopak, ribbons flying through the air, we took it all in. The scenery was painted on our souls, the costumes put the mind in context, the movement came straight from the heart - ours and Pani Roma's.

It is difficult to express and impossible to quantify the impressions made on a developing child surrounded by such multi-dimensional creativity. Today's generation has the uncensored, immediate and unceasing stimulation of technology. We who know Pani Roma are a luckier group. We have imagination, texture, music, anticipation - we have the universe in poetic form on our stage!

Thank you Pani Roma! May you continue to teach and inspire young dancers, and all those who hold the love of art in their hearts! "Mnohaya Lita!"

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