Breaking down Romany stereotypes on a Kelowna stage

Darya Kulyashova started showing off her Romany, or Roma culture, on stage at the age of seven.

It has now become part of her identity along with the goal of dispelling stereotypes about her ancestral tribes.

Now, at 19, she'll be the lead dancer when she and the non-profit Vancouver-based musician troupe, Roma Gry, bring their all-ages show to Kelowna’s Rotary Centre for the Arts on Sunday.

The performance, entitled Campfire Meeting, features 14 musicians and dancers in a colourful, choreographed display of Romany culture. The immigrant artists are from a wide variety of the Roma diaspora including Europe and South America.

“It was a big part of my upbringing,” Kulyashova told Kelowna10. Her mom founded Roma Gry, has direct Romany ancestry, and comes from Eastern Europe.

“I’ve been dancing since I was in her stomach. I grew up with the folk music and songs and all the vibrant colours made a big impact on me."

She describes Romany song and dance as ‘very emotive and dramatic’ and a combination of Spanish Flamenco and belly-dance. The elaborate free-flowing costumes, especially those worn by the dancers, can take days to make.

Keeping Romany culture alive and dispelling the negative perceptions of a people who originated in India a thousand years ago before moving to Eastern Europe, is part of Roma Gry’s goal. The use of the term ‘Gypsy’ is perceived by many to be a racial slur against the long-persecuted and impoverished Roma people.

“It feels very special that I can represent this small group [of people], especially because it’s not as well known here as maybe in Europe,” she said. “People often know the slurs for the group better than the actual name we prefer; personally, I’m not too bothered but I know those who are bothered by it.

“I do see good progress being made. We want to show the positive aspects of the group, to take the focus away from the stereotypes of the whole ‘beggars’ [label], because they were never economically at the top,” Kulyashova explained. “They were always known as ‘trickster’ characters in people’s folk stories, they were known often for magic tricks on the street. We want to share the vibrant community that is formed in Romany tribes.”

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, and conflict that has raged for almost a year, is not lost on the group.

“We can’t ignore it. There’s a large population of Romany people in Eastern Europe and we think this is a very important time for people to connect and just be supported. The community aspect is what we hope to bring to Kelowna and anyone who watches our shows.”

Sunday's show starts at 6 p.m. Click here for ticket info.