Kyiv Municipal Ballet hopes to bring peace and share culture during their stay in Suffolk
Released at 6:24 pm on Friday, September 16, 2022
Despite not being able to return to war-torn Ukraine for the past seven months, members of the Kyiv City Ballet have continued to seek refuge in Paris and are now embarking on their first US tour. His four-day residency in Suffolk and performances at the Suffolk Center for Culture and Arts starting Monday.
Ballet director Ivan Kozlov thanked friends and supporters in Europe and around the world for supporting them and allowing them to dance even as war raged in their countries. In a Zoom interview from Paris before leaving for the US tour, the ballet company said it had already received many messages of support from the state as well.
“So it has the potential to support families and support the country during this very difficult time,” Kozlov said. “But we are on track and are so excited to go on tour to the US and share all of our work and culture with the people of the US.”
Paris was where the ballet flew to present the children’s version of The Nutcracker on February 23rd. The next day, war began in Ukraine, and Ballet has been in the “City of Lights” ever since.
Francine Sheffield, Ballet’s US Tour Producer and senior partner at Rhizome Consulting, said the excitement about ballet’s US tour is palpable.
“I just want to share what Kyiv City Ballet has to offer,” said Sheffield. “It’s a beautiful aesthetic of ballet and part of their culture.”
Her role was to hold its first U.S. performance in Wilmington, North Carolina on Friday, followed by another performance in Charlotte on Sunday, and to support whatever needs the ballet had during the tour, which was due to arrive in Suffolk. is. She has stayed in 12 locations on her tour, but she is the only resident in the United States.
“Our mission here is for the City of Kyiv to come and share their artistry and love of dance,” Sheffield said.
The US tour includes a full-length Swan Lake performance and a mixed repertoire program of three ballets, Thoughts (Contemporary Ballet), a neoclassical performance of Tribute to Peace, Ukrainian folk dance, and Men of Kyiv. . , the latter two of which are new to ballet. Two of her ballerinas from Ukraine, Kristina Kadashevich and Oksana Bondarenko, will perform with the company on tour. Principal of the company His dancer, Vsevolod Maevskiy, is a former soloist of the Mariinsky Ballet and a former student of Kozlov.
“Every performance is like something new, you feel new emotions with a new audience,” said Kozlov.
Kozlov said the situation makes dancing difficult, but they are dancing.
“We are always[connected]with relatives there and can still hear the problems there,” Kozlov said. “The war is still going on. It is not safe. We have the drive, and this supports us, we are motivated.”
Kozlov said they represent the country.
“We do not represent only ourselves or Kyiv City Ballet, we represent Ukrainian culture and Ukrainian freedom possibilities,” he said. “We want to dance, we want to work, we want to show the world that we are a good country and a good people.”
Kyiv City Ballet Suffolk Schedule (All Events at Suffolk Center for Culture and Arts)
September 19th – Kyiv City Ballet Welcome Reception, 5pm-7pm
September 20 – The Suffolk Center for Arts and Culture offers an educational program for schools and two master classes throughout the day.
September 21st – Kyiv City Ballet Performance of Ukrainian Repertoire in Tribute to Peace, 7pm
September 22nd – Kyiv City Ballet Meet and Greet Finale Reception at 5pm, Swan Lake Performance at 7pm
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