Hromovytsia celebrates 25 years of talent, heart and soul (04/24/05)

Hromovytsia celebrates 25 years of talent, heart and soul

by Greg Karawan

CHICAGO - Whether viewed as a thrilling end to the first 25 years, or a riveting launch of the next 25, the Hromovytsia Ukrainian Dance Ensemble's jubilee concert on March 20 was nothing short of a sight and sound extravaganza.

Under the artistic direction of Roxana Dykyj-Pylypczak, Hromovytsia spent over a year and a half painstakingly preparing an almost all-new repertoire for this celebratory concert and, based on audience reaction and feedback, the hard work, quite simply, paid off.

Mrs. Dykyj-Pylypczak's meticulous nature and never-ending imagination once again reached new heights, as the audience could not have expected what it was about to see.

The elegant North Shore Center for the Performing Arts - what Hromovytsia has called home for its last several Chicago concerts - filled up quickly on this mild Sunday afternoon, the first day of spring. In fact, a ticket for the event was quite a hot commodity as theater-goers vied for any possible open seat even minutes before the curtain opened, reminding the ensemble that its next venue should be a larger one.

The sold-out audience watched Hromovytsia take the stage by storm in "Pryvit," the traditional welcome dance. Men dressed as Ukrainian Kozaks confidently clutched seven-foot-tall spears, and women gracefully maneuvered embroidered ritual cloths in an opening number that has now been performed in three different countries.

As Hromovytsia made its way off the stage, a future generation of Hromovytsia - Hromovytsia II - made its way onto the dance floor. The troupe showed exuberance and energy and confirmed that the future of the ensemble is in good hands.

Seamless transitions continued throughout the show as Hromovytsia took over with a duet of traditional folk numbers, "Metelytsia" and "Rakivchanka," and a stylish ballroom tango, "Hutsulko Ksenu," unveiled to audiences for the first time. "The Magic Key," a storytelling dance, explored the local village toyshop. This piece also made its debut as the performers blurred the line between reality and make-believe.

The first half ended with yet another premiere, "Change the World," set to the music of award-winning Ukrainian artist/musician Ruslana. This powerful and acrobatic number was a clear audience favorite and featured clever costumes and daring choreography. Perhaps much of the appeal could be attributed to the unisex flavor of this piece, which found no variation in costumes, and very little variation in the steps executed by the men and women in it, regardless of how masculine or feminine.

While Hromovytsia changed costumes throughout the show, audience members were treated to the eccentric, yet methodical artistry of renowned violinist Vasyl Popadiuk. Mr. Popadiuk, who toured Ukraine with the ensemble in 2003, also made numerous appearances on stage with the ensemble, playing live as the dancers performed.

Hromovytsia picked up right where it left off opening the second half of the show with "The Enchanted Forest." Also a storytelling dance, this 32-minute, mystical production was set deep in the forest. As a young couple desperately battled for their love, they encountered a fairy, gypsies, nymphs, forest guards and demons. One segment of the dance saw the black-clad demons envelop the young couple amid a fury of heavy metal music and haunting lighting. With her creation of "The Enchanted Forest," Mrs. Dykyj-Pylypczak set new standards for choreography, music, and costume and technical design.

Hromovytsia continued its energetic assortment of new pieces with "You Are My Soul," a romantic duet with a jazzy flare, the 40s-era flirtatious, whimsical "Triplets of Bellville" and "Drianda." Set to the music of the spirited Ukrainian band VV from Kyiv, "Drianda" was a hand-clapping, toe-tapping pleasure for the audience as it made its Chicago debut, previously seen last summer by crowds in Detroit, Toronto and Dauphin, Manitoba.

Hromovytsia fittingly ended its 25th anniversary concert with the "Hopak" - the ensemble's trademark dance, and one that has remained with the group for its entire 25-year existence. Although it has gone through some revision and modification over the years, the framework of this dance and its accompanying music have remained untouched. A standing ovation followed, proving that audiences don't want to see a different "Hopak" anytime soon.

While the concert officially kicked off the celebration of its 25 years of dance, Hromovytsia also includes its recent past as part of this commemoration. On April 4, the ensemble helped welcome President Viktor Yushchenko and his wife, Kateryna, to Chicago by performing "Pryvit" and "Hopak" during the first couple's visit to the Palmer House Hilton in front of a crowd of 1,400, and greeted the Ukrainian president with a traditional "korovai" and salt.

Along with President Yushchenko and his wife, also present were Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and world champion boxer Dr. Vitali Klitschko.

The summer of 2004 saw the company perform at a number of festivals across the United States and Canada, including the official grand opening of Chicago's Millennium Park, Canada's National Ukrainian Festival in Dauphin, and the Bloor West Village Ukrainian Festival in Toronto - boasting an annual attendance of over 250,000 people.

Hromovytsia spent Thanksgiving morning performing for over 350,000 parade-goers, and 1.5 million television viewers at Chicago's State Street Thanksgiving Parade broadcast live on ABC. This parade was nationally syndicated and available in approximately 90 million households.

As it reflects back on the last 25 years, one thing has remained evident and unchanged. Hromovytsia is a dance ensemble based on talent, heart and soul. It prides itself on a 25-year history made up of unique choreography, varied styles of dance, diverse talent and deep friendships that form a family-like environment in which to create and learn.

As it looks toward the future, the Hromovytsia Ukrainian Dance Ensemble hopes to continue to reshape the very definition of Ukrainian dance, deliver innovative works that will reach new choreographic heights, and surprise and delight audiences everywhere.

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