Maryland State Arts Council FolkLife Apprenticeship Grant: Announcement

I am proud to announce that Renee Jaranson and I have been awarded a FolkLife Apprenticeship Grant from the Maryland State Arts Council for Ukrainian Folk Stage Dance. This grant provides us the opportunity to preserve and share a cultural tradition that has shaped my own artistic journey, while mentoring a young artist whose dedication and versatility are truly inspiring.

Renee is a freelance ballet artist and a senior at the University of Maryland (UMD), College Park, studying Bioengineering. In addition to her outstanding record of academic achievement, she holds a Cecchetti USA ballet instructor credential for levels 1-3 and teaches and performs with UMDs Ballet M and Latin Dance ensemble. As a freelance artist, she has performed in productions with the Misako Ballet Company, Players on Air Theatrical Arts Company, and Дух Tанцю – Spirit of the Dance Ukrainian Folk Ballet; and has performed as a principal in the premier presentations of some of my own original works, including An American in Paris, Excerpts from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Казки з Диканьки (Tales from Dykanka) and Лісова Пісня (The Forest Song). Renee was introduced to Ukrainian Folk Stage Dance in 2024 when she was featured as a Bukovynian soloist in my staging of Pavlo Virsky's Ми З України (We Are From Ukraine) for the Misako Ballet Company.

Through the FolkLife Apprenticeship, we will step through the first two levels of my 8-year Ukrainian Folk Stage Dance curriculum, which I developed during my studies in Ukraine. This portion of the curriculum will be documented for posterity through photographs of proper positions and short videos demonstrating barre work, center work, and etudes from the Carpathian and Central regions of Ukraine.

For Renee, the apprenticeship is an opportunity to go beyond performance—to study technique, history, and cultural context in depth. By the end, she will not only strengthen her skills in Ukrainian Folk Stage Dance but also gain the ability to teach and present these styles with authenticity and understanding.

I look forward to beginning this project with Renee. She is not only a talented and disciplined dancer but also a true collaborator—someone whose artistry and professionalism elevate every rehearsal and performance. With this grant, we take an important step toward preserving Ukrainian Folk Stage Dance while preparing a new generation to carry it forward.