Ballroom dance in the creative concept of I. Nechui-Levytskyi

The purpose of the study is to find out the place of dance in Ukrainian culture as reflected in the works of I. S. Nechui-Levytskyi for the development of educational and coaching strategies of national choreographic art. The methodology. The research methodology is based on an interdisciplinary approach. The methods of structural and functional analysis, deconstruction, and comparative analysis are used. The results. A new study of the creative heritage of I. Nechui-Levytskyi, in particular the novel “Clouds”, which was one-sidedly interpreted in the conditions of colonial and postcolonial existence of Ukrainian culture, has revealed that one of the most prominent Ukrainian writers had a deep understanding of dance as a form of self-expression and creatively used dance as a means of expression. This text captures the everyday ballroom dance as a part of the culture of a Ukrainian city in the second half of the ХІХ century. In the overall composition of the novel “Clouds”, the dance episodes foreshadow a certain existential break in the fate of the characters. Contemporary research on the anthropology of dance has yielded similar results. At the same time, through the work of the Ukrainian prose writer, one can understand the holistic concept of ballroom dance in the life of Ukraine in the second half of the XIX century, common to the European mental space. In the context of the current stage of national identity formation, a promising task for contemporary choreographers is to expand the possibilities of creative expression for young people and adults through the development of cognitive and self-developmental aspects of non-stage choreography. The scientific novelty of the article lies in highlighting previously unexplored aspects of I. Nechui-Levytskyi’s work, and thus expanding the understanding of the role and place of non-stage dance in Ukrainian culture, the possibilities of its development. The practical significance of the study is to highlight previously unexplored aspects of I. Nechui-Levytskyi’s creativity, and thus to expand the understanding of the role and place of non-stage dance in Ukrainian culture, the possibilities of its development. Prospects for future research. To substantiate possible changes in the strategies of training choreographers, taking into account the public demand for non-stage dance activity of young and adult people, based on the traditions of Ukrainian choreographic culture.