COSSACKS AND WALLFLOWERS: UKRAINIAN STAGE DANCE, IDENTITY AND POLITICS IN SASKATCHEWAN FROM THE 1920s TO THE PRESENT A Thesis Submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of History University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon By Jillian Dawn Staniec © Copyright Jillian D. Staniec, August 2007. All rights reserved. PERMISSION TO USE In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan, I agree that the Libraries of this University may make it freely available for inspection. I further agree that permission for copying of this thesis in any manner, in whole or in part, for scholarly purposes may be granted by the professor or professors who supervised my thesis work or, in their absence, by the Head of the Department or the Dean of the College in which my thesis work was done. It is understood that any copying or publication or use of this thesis or parts thereof for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. It is also understood that due recognition shall be given to me and to the University of Saskatchewan in any scholarly use which may be made of any material in my thesis. Requests for permission to copy or to make other use of material in this thesis in whole or in part should be addressed to: Head of the Department of History 9 Campus Drive University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A5 i ABSTRACT Ukrainian dance is a popular means of expressing Ukrainian cultural affiliation, for the dancers as well as for the audience. It also performs a didactic function by sanctioning specific identities through the instruction and presentation of dances. This thesis examines the interaction of politics and the arts in shaping these identities in Saskatchewan. By tracing the establishment and development of staged dance, this thesis explores the formation of the Ukrainian Canadian identity in the twentieth century. Through analysis of primary documents, archival footage, and interviews with leaders in the dance community, a record of the development of Ukrainian dance in Saskatchewan has been created. As the reasons for the dances changed over time due to internal and external pressures, so did the dances and identities that were expressed and encouraged. This study also reveals that dance and politics are inextricably intertwined in the province. An internal nationalist / progressive political division shaped Ukrainian Canadian identity and the expression of that identity, including dance. Politics were imposed through control over the locations of dance training and performance. The legitimacy of the political divide, however, was challenged in the postwar period as artistry and aesthetics were emphasized. Political influence upon Ukrainian dance also extended beyond the Ukrainian Canadian community, and included consequences of general Canadian developments, such as the multicultural policy. By tracing the intersection between politics, identity and the arts in this ethnocultural community, how various influences shaped Ukrainian cultural identity is explored and critically examined. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (MA CGS) and the University of Saskatchewan (University Graduate Scholarship and Morton Travel Fund). This funding from the Department of History enabled me to conduct research throughout Saskatchewan and at Library and Archives Canada. I was also fortunate to receive assistance to present my research in progress at conferences. I thank my supervisor, Dr. Valerie Korinek, for inspiring me to enter graduate studies. Her insights into popular perception of Ukrainian culture on the prairies challenged my assumptions. I also thank my committee, Dr. John McCannon and Dr. Bill Waiser, for providing feedback throughout the process. This thesis would not be possible without the L'viv Summer Semester Abroad program. I thank Dr. Natalia Shostak from St. Thomas More College for arranging the program, and Pani Lesia and Pani Olena, for their language instruction. Finally, I thank my instructors at the Humboldt School of Dance and the Saskatoon School of Dance, Jocelyn Luchak, Teri Tkachuk, and Serhij Koroliuk. While I was never very talented, they were always encouraging. Innumerable others have assisted with this thesis. I thank the interviewees for inviting me into their homes and workplaces to share their experience with me. My gratitude goes to the staff at the archives for helping to locate sources. I also thank my past and present coworkers and my current employer, the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, for their patience with my enthusiasm and exhaustion throughout the writing process. Finally, I thank my amazing friends and family. Their support, whether in proof- reading, teaching me the finer points of wine, or taking me to baseball games in Boston, is why this thesis is complete. My family has been very patient, especially with my absence at key social events over the years; I hope their investment pays out. And thank you Brian, for being there for me all these years. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS PERMISSION TO USE.......................................................................................................i ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................................................................................iii TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................. iv ILLUSTRATIONS............................................................................................................ vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS...........................................................................................vii 1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Overview of the Research Literature...................................................................... 4 1.2 Conceptual Categories of Analysis......................................................................... 6 1.3 Research Literature Specific to the Topic.............................................................17 1.4 Research Procedures............................................................................................. 22 1.5 Definition of Terms...............................................................................................24 1.6 Limitations of the Study........................................................................................25 1.7 Summary............................................................................................................... 27 2. “PRIMAL HARMONY”?: SETTLEMENT AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DANCE.............................................................................................................................28 2.1 Arrival of Avramenko: Promoting “the Patriotic Duty of All Parents”................31 2.2 “An Antidote to the Drabness of the Days”: 1930s to the 1950s..........................41 2.3 ‘Pioneer-Propagandists’: The Ukrainian Temple Associations and the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians....................................................................................43 2.4 ‘Domivky’ and the Common Cause: The Ukrainian National Federation and the Ukrainian National Youth Federation..........................................................................52 2.5 Conclusions...........................................................................................................58 3. “CAPABLE OF DOING MARVELS”: NATIONALIST AND PROGRESSIVE GROUPS IN THE POSTWAR PERIOD......................................................................... 59 3.1 Shevchenko Concerts............................................................................................64 3.2 Dance ‘in its most aesthetic form’?: Politics, Feeder Schools and the Ensembles ......................................................................................................................................67 3.3 Expanded Programming: Rise of the Schools.......................................................76 3.4 Outside the Cities, Outside the Organizations...................................................... 78 3.5 Conclusions...........................................................................................................80 4. SITES OF CONFLICT, SITES OF INTERACTION...................................................82 iv 4.1 “An Arbitrary Conglomeration of Ethnic Groups:” Multiculturalism and Ukrainian Dance.......................................................................................................... 83 4.2 Ties to Ukraine: Society Ukraina..........................................................................88 4.3 Authenticity and Artistic Growth in the Dances................................................... 97 4.4 Costuming: “Babas and Kids in Wreaths and Ribbons”.....................................101 4.5 The Post-Soviet World........................................................................................107 4.6 Conclusions.........................................................................................................109 5. CONCLUSION...........................................................................................................112