PROJECT DETAILS
CHOREOGRAPHER: Roman Mykyta
COMPOSER: Traditional, arranged by Ron Cahute
PREMIERE: June 14, 2025 | Patchtown Days Celebration, Eckley Miner’s Village Museum, Weatherly, PA | Performed by Дух Танцю – Spirit of the Dance Ukrainian Folk Ballet
RUN TIME: 4 minutes
SYNOPSIS:
Tales from Dykanka is a choreographic miniature inspired by the imaginative world of Mykola Hohol’s Evenings on a Farm Near Dykanka. Beloved characters from his stories come together in a playful theatrical encounter as Oksana from Christmas Eve and Hanna from May Night welcome the legendary Kozak Taras Bulba on his travels through the Ukrainian countryside.
Blending humor, warmth, and folkloric charm, the miniature celebrates the unforgettable characters, vibrant village life, and rich imagination that have made Hohol’s literary world an enduring treasure of Ukrainian culture.
EVENINGS ON A FARM NEAR DYKANKA
Published in 1831–1832, Evenings on a Farm Near Dykanka established Mykola Hohol as one of the great literary voices of his generation, drawing on Ukrainian folklore and village traditions.
BACKGROUND & INSPIRATION
Rather than retelling a single story, the miniature imagines beloved figures from Hohol’s writings meeting beyond the boundaries of their original narratives.
LITERATURE IN MOTION
By bringing Hohol’s characters from the page to the stage, the choreography pays tribute to the enduring power of Ukrainian literature and cultural identity.