Our performances focus on dances from central Ukraine, in particular the Poltava region. This is the region most commonly associated with Ukrainian dance. The area is a flat plains region made up of fertile farm land. To represent that, the dancing is very open, wide in its choreography and its steps. The dance style is crisp and acrobatic for men, and feminine and technical for girls. The costumes for the dances of this region include blouse, a vinok, a plakhta (girls skirt), a poyas (belt), sharyvary (loose mens' trousers) and red boots. Most commonly, the blouses are white with black and red embroidery. The Ukrainians believed that life should include both red (the color of joy) and black (the color of sorrow).