aaus-list @ ukrainianstudies.org -- [aaus-list] Ukrainian Dance-Theatre "Ancestral Voices"

[Nadia Tarnawsky <nmt@po.cwru.edu>]

MN2 Productions presents

"Ancestral Voices"

An original dance-theatre piece based on the poetry of Oleksander Oles, Lesia Ukrainka, Taras Shevchenko and Mykhailo Drai-Khmara (translated by Nadia Tarnawsky and Helene Turkewicz-Sanko)

When and where:

June 2, 2007 4:45 p.m.  Resonance World Music Festival, Cleveland, Ohio

June 4-6, 2007, Cincinnati Fringe Festival (go to www.cincyfringe.com for tickets and show times)

June 29 - July 1, 2007, Gordon Square Theatre, Cleveland, Ohio (call 216-269-7228 for more information)

August 10 - 26, 2007, The New York International Fringe Festival (go to www.fringenyc.org for more information)

The construct of one’s life is built on a path forged both by the choices one makes of one’s own volition and the choices made in response to events beyond one’s control.  The disparate paths created by the decisions two sisters make are the focus of Ancestral Voices,  an original dance-theatre piece presented by MN2 Productions.  This poignant tale draws its text from the translated works of Ukrainian poets Oleksander Oles, Lesia Ukrainka, Taras Shevchenko, Mykhailo Drai-Khmara and Ukrainian folk songs.  

“One of my folk singing teachers told me a story about a village woman in Ukraine ,” says Nadia Tarnawsky, artistic director of MN2 Productions.  “This woman taught her a song and prefaced it with the words, ‘I will sing this song for you because this is my song.  This is my life.’  At that point, I noticed how many of these folk songs were tiny windows into a woman’s life.  When I began to place these songs side by side, an arc of a story emerged.  Often the songs are somber in nature as village life, especially for women, is arduous."  For the production the songs are sung in Ukrainian, but English translations of the lyrics are spoken by actors to facilitate understanding.  Not only does the work meld poetry and song lyrics to tell the story of these two women, but the tale itself is presented through an amalgamation of modern dance, puppetry and theatre.  

     Ancestral Voices was the premiere performance of MN2 Productions and it debuted in Cleveland, Ohio in 2000.  The 2007 version of the work includes new folk song arrangements composed by Nadia Tarnawsky and performed by master musicians:  Nadia Tarnawsky as vocalist and bandurist, Alexander Fedoriouk on cimbalom (hammered dulcimer), Andrei Pidkivka on sopilka (wooden flute), Liesl Hook-Langmack on violin and Don Safranek on percussion.  Additional vocals are provided by Divchata V Kukhni - The Girls in the Kitchen Ukrainian folk trio.  

     Originally choreographed by Natalie M. Kapeluck and Beth Salemi, this production features revised choreography by Natalie M. Kapeluck and new dances created by Mark Tomasic of Verb Ballets.  Ancestral Voices will be performed by Erin Conway, Catherine Meredith, Anna Roberts and Mark Tomasic - dancers from Verb Ballets of Cleveland, Ohio.  Nadia Tarnawsky serves as its director.