Archetypes in Ukrainian Choreographic Culture and Folk-Stage Dances

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to analyse archetypes in the choreographic works of Ukrainian folk stage dance as elements of choreographic culture. The research methodology is based on the use of a combination of the source method, which is applied to the study of scientific literature and periodicals regarding archetypes; cultural analysis to reveal the peculiarities of archetypes in P. Virskyi's choreographic works, in particular “Hopak”, “What the Willow Weeps about”, “Hops” and the national ballet “Forest Song” by S. Sergeev); as well as generalising method to update and specify basic information about archetypes and Ukrainian choreographic culture. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the understanding of the archetypes of Ukrainian folk choreographic culture and folk stage dances in the specified performances. Conclusions. The relevance of the study of scientific literature and periodicals related to archetypes is determined: the meaning of the concepts “collective unconscious” and “archetypes” (K. G. Jung); definition of national archetypes such as “Home”, “Field”, “Temple”, “Mother”, “Light”, “Time” (S. Krymskyi) and “philosophy of the heart” (P. Yurkevych, G. Skovoroda, T. Shevchenko); introduction into scientific circulation of the concept of “archetype of national culture” and their varieties (N. Khamitov); generalisation and systematisation of the main archetypes of the Ukrainian mentality (O. Bychkoviak). The embodiment of archetypes: in the folk choreographic culture and their analysis in the ballet master heritage of Pavlo Virsky, “Dolls”, “Oh, under the cherry”, “Zaporozhtsi”, “Chumatsky joys” (L. Kozynko). The embodiment of archetypes has already been analysed in other choreographic productions by P. Virsky, such as “Hopak”, “What the Willow Weeps about”, “Hops” and the national ballet “Forest Song” by S. Sergeev. We can consider “hopak” not only as a dance with the illumination of archetypes in it, but also as an independent archetype: a kind of code of Old Slavic culture (S. Krymskyi), ethnocode (V. Shkorinenko), identification of hopak with a symbol and personification with the whole Ukrainian folk choreographic culture (A. Pidlypska).

Keywords: archetype; dance; Ukrainian folk stage dance; Ukrainian choreographic culture; ballet; ballet master heritage.