The History of Roma Stage Art in Ukraine
About the Collection
This collection is dedicated to the vibrant and multifaceted world of Roma stage art in Ukraine. Its goal is to document the stories of outstanding artists: dancers, musicians, singers, and founders of creative collectives, whose work is an integral part of the country’s cultural heritage. The collected testimonies reveal the evolution of Roma stage art — from the preservation of authentic traditions to their modernization, highlighting the personal journeys of the artists, the role of artistic dynasties, and their contribution to overcoming societal stereotypes.
Currently, the collection includes 3 video interviews with representatives of one of the oldest artistic dynasties in Ukraine — the Korzhov family, recorded as part of the “Roma Community Chronicles: Stories of Resilience and Remembrance” project. This collection is open and will be expanded with new stories to create a broad panorama of Roma performing arts.
Watch the documentary film
Methodology for Material Collection
The basis for forming the collection was the method of a semi-structured biographical interview. This approach allows for the combination of two key tasks:
Biographical Aspect
To give the narrator the opportunity to present their life and creative history in chronological order, preserving the integrity of the personal narrative.
Thematic Aspect
To ensure the coverage of key research topics (an artist’s formation, the specifics of Roma art, the role of family, fighting stereotypes, passing on heritage) through a pre-prepared list of open-ended questions.
All interviews are conducted in compliance with an ethical protocol, which includes obtaining informed consent for the recording and subsequent use of the materials.
Research Team
Tetiana Storozhko
Historian, project researcher
Svitlana Makhovska
Project Expert
Olha Medvedieva
Project Coordinator
To the Collection
Learn more about the lives and public journeys of the remarkable figures whose stories form the basis of this collection.
