RESEARCH & CURRICULUM INITIATIVE
Rooted in Ukrainian pedagogy.
Integrated with classical ballet training.
Built for the future.
WHY THIS PROJECT MATTERS
One of the greatest challenges facing Ukrainian folk-stage dance outside of Ukraine is not a shortage of choreography—it's a shortage of systematic pedagogy.
In Ukraine, professional dancers develop through carefully sequenced methods that integrate classical ballet, character dance, regional movement vocabulary, artistry, and performance practice over many years. Outside Ukraine, this tradition is often passed from teacher to teacher with tremendous passion, but without a unified curriculum that can guide students from their first steps to advanced artistry.
This project seeks to bridge that gap.
A VISION BEYOND UKRAINIAN DANCE
Although rooted in Ukrainian folk-stage dance, the goal is much broader than creating another Ukrainian dance syllabus.
The long-term vision is to develop an eight-level character dance curriculum that can integrate naturally into classical ballet schools, regardless of whether they follow the Vaganova, Cecchetti, RAD, or ABT National Training Curriculum.
Each level is designed to complement the technical and artistic development already taking place in ballet class, allowing students to develop coordination, musicality, strength, artistry, and cultural understanding through carefully selected folk-stage dance traditions.
UKRAINIAN DANCE AS FOUNDATION
The curriculum uses Ukrainian folk-stage dance as its primary language.
Students progressively explore the major regional styles of Ukraine while, at appropriate stages of their development, being introduced to additional character dance traditions such as Hungarian, Spanish, Georgian, Jewish, Roma, Moldovan, and others.
Rather than presenting these styles as isolated dances, the curriculum explores how each contributes to the student's technical and artistic growth.
MORE THAN LEARNING STEPS
This project is intended to become a complete educational method. Each level is envisioned to include:
Progressive Technical Exercises
Teacher Methodology
Demonstration Videos
Written
Explanations
Historic and Cultural Context
Musical
Resources
Choreographic
Etudes
Performance
Preparation
Assessment Standards
The goal is not simply to teach choreography, but to cultivate expressive, versatile dancers through a systematic approach to folk-stage dance education.
CURRENT PROGRESS
This initiative is currently in active development.
Through the Maryland State Arts Council Folklife Apprenticeship Program, more than 100 exercises from the first two curriculum levels have already been photographed and filmed as part of the documentation process.
The next phase involves editing these materials, writing the accompanying instructional content, organizing the curriculum, and building the digital platform that will eventually make the method accessible to teachers and students.
While the finished curriculum is still several years from completion, this foundational documentation represents a significant milestone toward preserving and sharing Ukrainian folk-stage dance pedagogy for future generations.
100+
EXERCISES DOCUMENTED
LEVELS I & II
LOOKING AHEAD
This is a long-term undertaking.
Like the great ballet methods that evolved over decades, this curriculum is being developed carefully, thoughtfully, and through continual teaching, refinement, and practical application.
As additional levels are completed, new resources and educational materials will gradually become available.
The journey continues.
Special Acknowledgement
The earliest stages of this curriculum were made possible with support from the Maryland State Arts Council Folklife Apprenticeship Program.
The documentation of Levels I and II was created in collaboration with apprentice Renee Jaranson, whose thoughtful questions, exceptional work ethic, and countless hours in the studio helped shape the foundation of this project.
While this curriculum represents many years of study and research, its first chapters were documented through our work together.
I remain deeply grateful to Renee for the care, discipline, and artistry she brought to this formative stage of the work.
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