ukrainian ballet tour

The Kyiv City Ballet to Tour the US in an American Premiere

The US tour will include a full-length Swan Lake (choreography by Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov and Ivan Kozlov), and a second mixed repertory program of three ballets.

The Kyiv City Ballet, under the artistic direction of Ivan Kozlov, announced today a U.S tour from September 16 to October 24, 2022. The Fall tour is a US premiere and marks the Kyiv City Ballet's first United States performances ever. The day before Ukraine was invaded in February, The Kyiv City Ballet unknowingly took one of the last flights out of Kyiv. The company flew to Paris to begin a long planned tour. They have not returned home. The country of France sheltered them and the company has been performing throughout France, and now Europe, since the invasion began. The US tour will include a full-length Swan Lake (choreography by Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov and Ivan Kozlov), and a second mixed repertory program of three ballets: Thoughts (choreography by Vladyslav Dobshynskyi) a contemporary ballet, Tribute to Peace (choreography by Ekaterina and Ivan Kozlov) a neo-classical work, and Men of Kyiv (choreography by Pavlo Virsky) a Ukranian folk dance. "We are honored to share the beauty of ballet with US audiences, through Ukranian artists" said Ivan Kozlov, Artistic Director. "Touring the States for the first time with a range of ballets makes an important global statement. It demonstrates the resilience of the Ukrainian people." The Kyiv City Ballet's mission is to bring joy to audiences through ballet by bringing exemplary artists to theatres around the world. In the past decade, the company has successfully toured throughout dozens of countries on four continents. Two of Ukraine's prima ballerinas: Krystina Kadashevych and Oksana Bondarenko will perform with the company on their US tour. The company's principal dancer is Vsevolod Maevskiy, a former soloist of the Mariinsky Ballet and Kozlov's former student. "We are humbled that Rhizome has been asked to produce and strategically support the Kyiv City Ballet on their very first tour to the United States," said producer Kristopher McDowell . "That major cultural arts centers across the country are coming together to open their doors and their hearts is extraordinary. It is very clear this company and their artistry will have great appeal to non-dance and dance audiences alike." Additional tour dates will be announced over the summer. The Kyiv City Ballet's confirmed 2022 US tour schedule is as follows:

To donate directly to The Kyiv City Ballet click the PayPal link HERE

All donations go directly to the Kyiv City Ballet to help support the company

Kyiv City Ballet

The Kyiv City Ballet was founded in 2012 by the current Artistic Director Ivan Kozlov. Their mission is to bring joy to audiences through ballet. They strive to bring exemplary artists to theatres around the World. In the past decade, they have successfully worked together with various partners and toured throughout dozens of countries and 4 continents. Their classical ballets include: "Swan Lake", "Sleeping Beauty", "The Nutcracker", "Scheherazade", "Giselle", "Chopiniana", "Romeo and Juliet", "Don Quixote", "Gala Tchaikovsky", "Funny Concert" "Strauss Evening", "Carmen Suite". Ballets for young spectators and their families: "Cinderella", "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", "Aibolit and Barmalei","Coppelia" as well as "Thoughts," "Men of Kyiv," and "Tribute to Peace."

Ivan Kozlov (Artistic Director)

Ex-Premier of the National Opera of Ukraine, The St. Petersburg Eifman Ballet, IBT (Internationale Ballet Theater), and the Mariinsky Theater; the choreographer and teacher Ivan Anatolievich Kozlov was born on 13 December 1982. In 2000, after graduating from the KGHU (Kiyv State Choreographic School), under the tutelage of the Honored Artist of Ukraine, Vladimir Denisenko, Ivan Kozlov was invited to join the ballet troupe of the National Opera of Ukraine, and simultaneously to the world- famous troupe of Boris Eifman in St. Petersburg. He worked as an artist in both troupes. During his work in the theater of B. Eifman, Ivan performed the leading parts in the following repertoire: "Red Giselle", "Don Quixote", "Russian Hamlet", "Anna Karenina", and "The Brothers Karamazov". In the troupe of the National Opera of Ukraine, he performed the leading parts in the ballets Swan Lake, Giselle, Spartacus, Don Quixote, Viennese Waltz, and many others. Ivan Kozlov worked under contract as a leading soloist of the "Internationale Ballet Theater" in the United States. From 2007 to 2010, he was the premier of the ballet troupe of the Mariinsky Theater, where he performed the leading parts in nearly the entire repertoire of the theater, as well as in numerous concert numbers. Ivan is a laureate of many ballet competitions, including the Serge Lifar International Competition (2002, silver medal) and the X Moscow International Competition (2005, silver medal). Among the teachers of Ivan Kozlov are some of the most outstanding dancers of the 20th century: People's Artist of the USSR, Irina Kolpakova, People's Artist of the USSR Vladlilen Semenov, People's Artist of the RSFSR, Sergei Berezhnoi, Premier of the Mariinsky Theater, Eldar Aliyev, and Honored Artist of Ukraine, Anatoly Kozlov. Since 2014, Ivan Kozlov has been the executive of the theater, "Kiev City Ballet" with which he has successfully toured Europe and the world.

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The National Ballet of Ukraine

Canadian tour 2024

Canada is honoured to welcome the National Ballet of Ukraine from the Taras Shevchenko National Opera House on a Canadian tour f rom January 15 to February 11, 2024 , for a series of 20 performances in Québec City, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

The National Ballet of Ukraine, comprised of 150 dancers, 23 of whom will be part of the Canadian tour , is considered one of the world’s top-ranked ballet companies . Before the outbreak of war in February 2022, the company staged 16 productions a month at the Taras Shevchenko National Opera House in Kyiv, Ukraine. Today, the number of productions depends on the circumstances of the conflict. This company has danced all over the world and is responsible for keeping the national and classical repertoire standards for the Taras Shevchenko National Opera House.

These world-class Ukrainian dancers will tour Canada performing excerpts of some of the world’s greatest ballets such as “Le Corsaire” and “Don Quixote”, while also highlighting Ukrainian culture through traditional dance. The title of the show is “Nadyia Ukraine” – bringing the hope of Ukraine to your city. Nadiya means hope in Ukrainian.

Attendance at these dazzling performances across Canada supports the arts and talented artists, while sponsorships and donations directly fund non-profit organisations operating in Ukraine. The Olena Zelenska Foundation and HUMANITE work directly with Ukrainian families to provide crisis relief, refugee aid, and seed long-term projects to rebuild the country once peace prevails.

We invite you to take a seat, stand with Ukraine, and tell the world that only life can triumph over death, only light can overcome darkness, and only beauty can defeat destruction.

Thank you for joining us!

This exceptional tour is part of a fundraising campaign for the Olena Zelenska Foundation , instigated by the First Lady of Ukraine and other beneficiaries providing essential humanitarian services on the ground in Ukraine.

The main objective of the Olena Zelenska Foundation is to restore Ukraine’s human capital so that every citizen feels physically and mentally healthy, protected and able to exercise their right to education, work and build a future in Ukraine.

“The humanitarian needs across Ukraine today are profound. In this hour of need, we turn to you, our friends in North America, for love and support. We wish you enjoy amazing performances, feel inspired with Ukrainian culture, and be sure that only life can triumph over death, only light can overcome darkness, and only beauty can defeat destruction.”

First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska

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The National Ballet of Ukraine Is Coming to the U.S. for the First Time Ever

Bunheads, mark your calendars. The National Ballet of Ukraine is making its way to the U.S. for the first time in its 150-season history. Based in the capital of Kiev, the company has previously toured internationally in Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Japan, Hungary, Oman, Greece, Spain, Italy, Mexico, China, Latin America and Australia. On May 18, they will begin their 11-city U.S. tour, performing two classical full-length ballets: Sleeping Beauty and Don Quixote .

While American audiences haven’t had a chance to see this company, some big names have come out of it. The National Ballet of Ukraine boasts an impressive list of famous former dancers, including Alina Cojocaru , Alexei Ratmansky , Maxim Beloserkovsky, Irina Dvorovenko , Iana Salenko and Leonid Sarafanov. And, the school has trained major stars like Svetlana Zakharova and Sergei Polunin .

Check out the full list of dates and cities, below, and head to the National Ballet of Ukraine’s site to purchase tickets to see them in action!

May 18 & May 19 — Los Angeles, CA May 20 — San Diego, CA May 22 & May 23 — Dallas, TX May 24 & May 25 — Houston, TX May 26 & May 27 — Miami, FL May 29 — Baltimore, MD May 30 — Washington, DC May 31 — Philadelphia, PA June 01 — Newark, NJ June 02 — Columbus, OH June 03 — Chicago, IL

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Kyiv City Ballet

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Be a part of history when Kyiv City Ballet comes to Northrop on its first United States tour. "We are honored to share the beauty of ballet with US audiences, through Ukrainian artists," said Ivan Kozlov, Artistic Director. "Touring the States for the first time with a range of ballets makes an important global statement. It demonstrates the resilience of the Ukrainian people." ( Broadway World ). Kyiv City Ballet will perform three works: Ivan Kozlov and Ekaterina Kozlova’s  Tribute to Peace , a neoclassical work set to familiar music themes by composer Edward Elgar; Pavlo Virsky’s  Men of Kyiv —showcasing traditional folk dance with a competitive force; and  Classical Suite : a trio of wedding pas de deux from such famed classical ballets as  La Bayadère  and  Don Quixote . Step out in welcome and solidarity.

“Ukraine’s ballet dancers are a ‘voice of resistance’ amid a greater struggle. ‘Culture is a dedicated target in the Russian war strategy.’ But these ballet dancers—displaced in France—will keep performing.” — National Geographic

“[Artistic Director] Kozlov … hoped the U.S. tour would not only showcase their art but also prove that nothing can break them.” — The New York Times

Event Details

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A Sensory Friendly Lounge equipped with sensory supports and staffed by trained volunteers will be available to all guests who are seeking a safe and soothing atmosphere during this and other select performances.  Learn more here.

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• If you need assistance with your tickets, please call 612-624-2345, email [email protected] , or visit the Box Office located near the Ground Floor, East entrance Mon-Fri, 10:00 am-5:00 pm, and up to four hours prior to live, ticketed events.

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Pre-performance lobby events.

At 6:30 pm we kick off an evening that showcases and celebrates Ukrainian arts and culture.

Guests are invited to enjoy live music from The BanDura BanDuo, featuring Angelika and Justin Mehes, a brother-sister musical act, visit the Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Ensemble's costume display featuring traditional Ukrainian folk dance costumes, and connect with the Ukrainian American Community Center and Alight, two local organizations working to support and welcome Ukrainians who have recently arrived in Minnesota.

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"ukrainian ballet company remains stranded abroad due to war", "members of kyiv city ballet perform in paris while fearing for safety of those left in ukraine", "kyiv city ballet and more highlight northrop’s 2022-2023 season".

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Kyiv City Ballet – Company website

• Broadyway World – The Kyiv City Ballet to Tour the US in an American Premiere
• New York Times – Kyiv City Ballet to Make Its First Tour of the United States in Fall
• YouTube Channel – Kyiv City Ballet 

Donate to the Ukraine War Relief Effort

Operation White Stork is a veteran-led, rapid response, humanitarian organization that takes its name from the national bird of Ukraine. White Stork's programs include: evacuating women and children, the elderly, and their pets; directly supplying hospitals; and providing first aid kits to the defense forces of Ukraine.

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The content below derives from the  Northrop Across Campus Program  that supports Northrop's mission towards intersections between performing arts and education for the benefit of all participants now and for generations to come.

Find ways to make thematic connections to these suggested topics:

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Take a deeper dive with these resources that provide additional information about the performers, the history of the artform, and the artistic process.

New York Times: Kyiv City Ballet to Make Its First Tour of the United States in Fall – U of M Library 

Smithsonian Magazine – Stranded Abroad, Kyiv City Ballet Announces Its First American Tour

Pointe Magazine – How Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine Has Affected the Ballet World

Broadway World – The Kyiv City Ballet to Tour the US in an American Premiere

The Guardian – We Are the Lucky Ones: Ukrainian Ballet Dancers on Unexpected Exile in Paris

Kyiv City Ballet – Swan Lake 

Start a conversation about the performance, or encourage reflection, using these questions as inspiration.  

Ukrainian dance company, Kyiv City Ballet, had just arrived in Paris for their tour in France the day before the news broke about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The company has not been able to return home but will be making their way to the US for their first American tour this fall, ending their run on the Northrop stage. The program will include two new pieces, both in direct response to the war.

• Imagine you were one of the dancers on tour—how would you respond to news of the invasion, knowing you would not be able to return home in the near future?
• How can we empathize with people outside of our community?
• Do you think our community is doing enough to stand in solidarity with those who need our support? How can we improve? 

Kyiv City Ballet’s mission is to bring joy to audiences through ballet. In reference to the upcoming tour, Director Ivan Kozlov shared, “Touring the States for the first time with a range of ballets makes an important global statement, it demonstrates the resilience of the Ukrainian people.”

• How do you define resilience?
• Is there room for joy amidst the unfolding trauma of the war?
• Have you ever viewed art that was in direct response to a political situation? How did it make you feel as the viewer?

Ballet is both a major Russian cultural export and a highly international art form. With the war, the wider ballet community has been affected. In a matter of days, tours of Russian companies had been canceled, and the international dance community rallied on social media to speak out against the invasion. 

• Do you think the war has informed the direction that ballet might be heading? In what way?
• Would you continue practicing an art form that your oppressor largely influenced, or would you take that art form and shape a new perspective?

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

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Stranded Abroad, Kyiv City Ballet Announces Its First American Tour

The dance company has been staying in Paris since the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Jane Recker

Daily Correspondent

On February 23, the  Kyiv City Ballet arrived in Paris to perform a children’s version of The Nutcracker . The tour was supposed to last two weeks. But the next day, Russia invaded Ukraine —and the company has remained in Paris ever since.

As the war drags on, the dancers’ future remains uncertain. In the meantime, though, the company has announced that it will make its first United States tour this fall, the  New York Times ’ Kalia Richardson reports. Starting in September, the tour will visit 13 cities, among them Chicago, New York, Detroit and Charlotte.

“Touring the States for the first time with a range of ballets makes an important global statement,” says artistic director Ivan Kozlov in a  statement . “It demonstrates the resilience of the Ukrainian people.”

Featured performances will include  Swan Lake and three other repertory works, per the Times. (The ballet lists on its  website   Giselle ,  Sleeping Beauty , and  Romeo and Juliet as some of the classical ballets it frequently performs.) The troupe will also participate in New York City Center’s upcoming Fall for Dance Festival .

When news broke of the Russian invasion, “everyone was on their phones, everyone was allowed to bring their phones onstage so they could stay [in touch] with their families,” Kozlov tells Lisa Bryant of  Voice of America (VOA). “Everybody was shocked. Everybody didn’t know what to do.”

Some members of the troupe tried to go back to Ukraine to enlist in the army but were turned away due to lack of experience, Kozlov tells the Times . Paris’ City Hall granted the dancers artistic residency at the  Théâtre du Châtelet and has housed them at a suburban hotel, per VOA.

“You can only create when you are free, and we need to hear what they are expressing,”  Anne Hidalgo , the mayor of Paris, told the  Times ’ Aurelien Breeden and Marina Harss in March. “They will be here for as long as it takes; I am absolutely not setting any deadline.”

The company only brought the costumes it needed for its Nutcracker tour. All of the troupe’s other possessions—music, videos, documents—were left behind in Kyiv.

“We were totally unprepared for this,” director Ekaterina Kozlova told National Geographic ’s Madeleine Schwartz in March. “We basically just psychologically said goodbye to everything that we have.”

Donations have supplied the company with tights and leotards, and a grant from the  Trust for Mutual Understanding has covered travel costs, per the Times. Kozlov says that the dancers want to share both their art and their spirit of strength in the face of war on the tour and are hoping to share Ukrainian stories with American dancers through workshops and classes.

The troupe performs ballet in addition to traditional  Ukrainian dances , which feature vibrant costumes, broad gestures and bouncing movements. While classical ballet is considered to be one of Russia’s greatest art forms and has been used as a display of nationalism by various regimes, it was also used as a  political tool during the Soviet Union to subtly speak out against the era’s leaders.

Many Ukrainian and Russian ballet students train at the same schools. Koslov has many friends in Russia, he told the Times in March: “They are telling me that they would love to say or do something, but they cannot because they are afraid.”

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Jane Recker | | READ MORE

Jane Recker has written for  Washingtonian Magazine  and the Chicago Sun-Times . She is a graduate of Northwestern University and holds degrees in journalism and opera. 

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60 dancers who fled the war now take the stage — as The United Ukrainian Ballet

Elizabeth Blair

Iryna Zhalovska and other dancers with The United Ukrainian Ballet train at The Kennedy Center. The company is performing Giselle there this week. Keren Carrión/NPR hide caption

Iryna Zhalovska and other dancers with The United Ukrainian Ballet train at The Kennedy Center. The company is performing Giselle there this week.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, choreographer Alexei Ratmansky was in Moscow working with both the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky, historically two of the most revered ballet companies in the world.

"My wife called me at 5:00 am from New York and said: Kyiv has been bombed," he remembers. He and his wife both have family in Ukraine, "so I had to leave right away," he says.

Ratmansky is a highly sought-after choreographer and a 2013 MacArthur Fellow. He choreographed The United Ukrainian Ballet's production of Giselle, which just began its run at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. His mother is Russian. His father is Ukrainian. But he isn't giving anyone in Russia a pass for not speaking out, including his fellow artists.

Elizaveta Gogidze fled with her family to Germany. She dances the lead in The United Ukrainian Ballet's production of Giselle. Keren Carrión/NPR hide caption

Elizaveta Gogidze fled with her family to Germany. She dances the lead in The United Ukrainian Ballet's production of Giselle.

"It's a huge failure of Russian culture, I think, the fact that millions didn't come out the first week and didn't stop it," he says before the dress rehearsal for Giselle at The Kennedy Center . "It breaks my heart to see that the world of today cannot stop this horror."

Some 60 dancers who fled the war make up The United Ukrainian Ballet . With help from local dance professionals and city officials, the company is based in The Hague.

A ballet dancer's career is short, and interrupting rigorous daily classes can be a setback. Despite the dire circumstances under which the company was formed, it has also allowed these dancers to continue their profession.

"We will fight bravely on the battlefield. But we will also celebrate our culture," said Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova at The Kennedy Center this week. Keren Carrión/NPR hide caption

"We will fight bravely on the battlefield. But we will also celebrate our culture," said Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova at The Kennedy Center this week.

The United Ukrainian Ballet is made up of some 60 dancers who fled their country when the Russians invaded. The newly formed company performs at The Kennedy Center this week. Keren Carrión/NPR hide caption

The United Ukrainian Ballet is made up of some 60 dancers who fled their country when the Russians invaded. The newly formed company performs at The Kennedy Center this week.

For principal dancer Elizaveta Gogidze, the chance to work with Ratmansky was "a dream." Gogidze, who performs the lead in Giselle , was a soloist with the National Opera of Ukraine in Kyiv when the war began. Along with her mother, her grandmothers and "all the women of our family," Gogidze fled to Germany, where her aunt was living.

When a dancer friend told her about the formation of The United Ukrainian Ballet in the Netherlands and Ratmansky's involvement, she was on her way to The Hague.

"It's a chance to do something new and to learn something new," she beams, "He's a gorgeous choreographer. He's a true patriot of our country."

Gogidze says she's in constant contact with her fellow dancers back in Kyiv. Her company, The National Opera of Ukraine, has reopened, but it's been a challenge. "They have no light. They have no hot water. Sirens and rockets sometimes. It's really hard," she says. It's not lost on the Ukrainian government that the audience for this event includes decision-makers. The Kennedy Center and the U.S. State Department recently hosted a 60th anniversary celebration of the Art in Embassies program. One of the dancers with The United Ukrainian Ballet performed a solo piece called The Dying Swan.

Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova told members of the Washington establishment that she and others at the embassy have had "very difficult discussions" about whether, "during a full-fledged war, to continue our events ... with art, with songs, with art exhibitions." She said they decided that not to continue would be "exactly what Russians wanted us to do."

Principal dancers Elizaveta Gogidze and Oleksii Kniazkov of The United Ukrainian Ballet are performing Giselle at The Kennedy Center this week. Keren Carrión/NPR hide caption

Principal dancers Elizaveta Gogidze and Oleksii Kniazkov of The United Ukrainian Ballet are performing Giselle at The Kennedy Center this week.

The United Ukrainian Ballet's dress rehearsal for Giselle at The Kennedy Center. Keren Carrión/NPR hide caption

The United Ukrainian Ballet's dress rehearsal for Giselle at The Kennedy Center.

"They wanted us to be destroyed, cry and die. And we will not do that," said Ambassador Markarova, "We will not give up. We will not surrender. We will fight bravely on the battlefield. But we will also celebrate our culture."

Ratmansky proudly shares a bit of his conversation with the Ambassador: "She said the Ukrainian ballet operates as our secret weapon. And I like that."

When the performance of Giselle ended, the orchestra played the Ukrainian national anthem. The dancers, joined by Ratmansky, sang and held up banners that said "Stand With Ukraine."

Choreographer Alexei Ratmansky appears on stage with the United Ukrainian Ballet after their production of Giselle at the Kennedy Center. Mena Brunette/XMB Photography hide caption

Performing Arts

Ballet dancers from across ukraine bring 'giselle' to the kennedy center.

Edited by: Rose Friedman Produced by: Beth Novey Audio story produced by: Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento

Correction Feb. 4, 2023

A previous version of this story said the Kennedy Center hosted a 60th anniversary celebration of the Art in Embassies program. It should have said that it was co-hosted by the U.S. State Department. In addition, the story incorrectly said The Dying Swan was from Swan Lake .

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United Ukrainian Ballet: Giselle

Opera House

This remarkable company of dancers unites in a powerful interpretation of Giselle , specifically created for them by world-renowned choreographer Alexei Ratmansky. Don’t miss a moving interpretation of one of the greatest romantic ballets of all time, performed by world-class artists united by the tragedy of war and an ardent hope for the future.

Feb. 1 - 5, 2023

Upcoming Dates

Price Range

$29.00 – $159.00

Approx. 2 hours 25 minutes, with one intermission

Live Music By

The Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra

Photo by Altin Kaftira.

This remarkable company of dancers unites in a powerful interpretation of Giselle , specifically created for them by world-renowned choreographer Alexei Ratmansky. The personal journeys of the dancers and the urgency of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine resonate powerfully with  Giselle ’s timeless themes of love, betrayal, death, and mercy. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see a moving interpretation of one of the greatest romantic ballets of all time, performed by world-class artists united by the tragedy of war and an ardent hope for the future.

The United Ukrainian Ballet is comprised of 60 Ukrainian dancers, most of whom fled their homeland to escape the Russian invasion. They are based in the Hague (Netherlands) whose municipality repurposed the old Royal Conservatory Building, with five large dance studios, as a refugee center. A foundation was established to support the Company, which is under the artistic leadership of Igone de Jongh, former prima ballerina with Dutch National Ballet. They have further been generously supported by Senf Theater Partners.

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“The detail is fresh, the performances delicate and true.” The Guardian

The United Ukrainian Ballet in Alexei Ratmansky's  Giselle .

The United Ukrainian Ballet in Alexei Ratmansky's Giselle .

Christine Shevchenko and Oleksii Tiutiunnyk in Alexei Ratmansky's Giselle .

Photo by Mark Senior.

Alina Cojocaru and Alexandr Trusch in Alexei Ratmansky's Giselle .

Alina Cojocaru and Alexandr Trusch in Alexei Ratmansky's  Giselle .

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Principal Cast

Wednesday, february 1, evening performance.

Giselle: Christine Shevchenko Albert: Olekseii Tiutiunnyk

Thursday, February 2

Giselle: Elizaveta Gogidze Albert: Olekseii Kniazkov

Friday, February 3

Matinee performance.

Giselle: Iriyna Zhalovska Albert: Denys Nedak

Saturday, February 4

Sunday, february 5, help dance thrive.

Support the Kennedy Center's Dance program when you designate your Membership to Ballet and Dance.

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All events and artists subject to change without prior notice.

All ticket prices are subject to change based on demand. Purchase early to lock in prices and the best seats!

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National Ballet of Ukraine to tour Canada, celebrate 'art and beauty over tyranny'

Tour will start in quebec city in january and include stops across canada.

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The National Ballet of Ukraine says an upcoming tour of Canada will celebrate "art and beauty over tyranny and destruction."

Prima ballerina Olga Golytsia says the company intends to show the spirit of Ukraine in a tour starting January 2024 in Quebec City.

Dancers will highlight Ukrainian culture with traditional dance as well as perform excerpts of famous ballets such as Le Corsaire ,  Giselle  and Don Quixote .

Montreal producer Paul Dupont-Hébert says the tour will include stops in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

Tickets go on sale mid-September for Nadiya Ukraine . Nadiya means hope in Ukrainian.

The National Ballet of Ukraine is comprised of 150 dancers. Before the Russian invasion in February 2022, the company staged 16 productions a month at Kyiv's Taras Shevchenko National Opera House.

Golytsia said Thursday in a release that the Canadian tour "means so much as we represent our country to show the spirit of Ukraine through the power of art and beauty over tyranny and destruction."

• Montreal symphony orchestra cancels Russian pianist's performances

Premier soloist Mykyta Sukhorukov added that the dancers are grateful to Canadians who have supported Ukraine.

"Many of us have lost friends and loved ones because of this unprovoked and unjustified invasion. The struggle of this war is hard, but we are resilient, and we will win. Thank you for standing with us," he said.

The tour is part of a fundraising campaign for beneficiaries including the Olena Zelenska Foundation, created by the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to provide medical, educational and humanitarian aid.

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Dear Supporters of the Arts & Humanity

Ukraine is fighting for freedom – for itself and the world. Besieged by a tyrannical regime who seeks to destroy our people, sovereignty, and culture. Many theatres, museums, and concert halls renowned for their architecture, art, and music now lay in ruins – bombed, looted, desecrated. Our existence and history are under threat like never before. But amid this darkness, there is light. The spirit of the Ukrainian people is alive wherever we draw breath and strengthens our resilience to defend our lands. As this curtain rises, the National Ballet of Ukraine from the Taras Shevchenko National Opera and Ballet Theater embark as ambassadors on a daring charitable tour across North America which we support and endorse with great pride. These dancers are not simply showcasing Ukrainian culture, they are preserving it, reminding the world that our identity has always been our own. Let every movement, graceful step, and daring leap tell of Ukraine’s amazing history and the countless preceding generations that made us who we are. The humanitarian needs across Ukraine today are profound. From emergency needs on the frontlines, to shelter for children in schools, and kindergartens. From digital devices for those displaced to continue their education, to the reconstruction of our homes and hospitals. The organisers of this tour are supporting qualified charitable organisations which work across Ukraine to help our people survive and rebuild. But they cannot accomplish this alone. In this hour of need, we turn to you, our friends in North America, for love and support. We wish you enjoy amazing performances, feel inspired with Ukrainian culture, and be sure that only life can triumph over death, only light can overcome darkness, and only beauty can defeat destruction. Only together we will win. Funds raised during this incredible tour will be directed to charity.  So, the funds will go to support Ukrainians and our children. All participants will become a part of our mission – to restore and improve the lives of people in Ukraine. To become stronger than we were, despite this brutal war. Thank you for standing in solidarity with the Ukrainian people amid our continued struggle for democracy, dignity, and the future.

Olena Zelenska First Lady of Ukraine

North American Tour

Tour Sponsorships

Stand with ukraine, read more ».

Every day, innocent civilians bear the brunt of this war, especially children, the elderly, those with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. The United Nations reports that at least 6million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries or farther abroad, with another 5 million internally displaced by ongoing violence. People in displacement centers and communities living on the frontline in damaged homes without access to heating are particularly at risk. With winter fast approaching, millions of Ukrainians need immediate humanitarian assistance– everything from food and water to shelter and medicine. The deliberate destruction of Ukrainian theaters, museums, music halls and UNESCO heritage sites has been a consistent feature of the conflict, amounting to a cultural genocide. Artists, musicians, dancers, writers, poets and creatives of all kinds have fled the country – including some members of the National Ballet of Ukraine performing on this tour. While many have plied their craft abroad, others’ livelihoods have been destroyed, jeopardizing Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage. Your attendance at these dazzling performances across Canada supports the arts and talented artists in exile, while sponsorships and individual donations directly fund non-profits operating in Ukraine. HUMANITE and the Olena Zelenska Foundation work directly with Ukrainian families to provide crisis relief, refugee aid, and seed long-term projects to rebuild the country once peace prevails. ‍

Ukrainians Need Your Help!

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Donated funds

Expert impact, ongoing support, public transparency, about humanite.

HUMANITE is a global peace collective working to reduce the inequalities and exclusions in fragile states that lead to violence. Founded by refugees and war survivors, HUMANITE takes a unique, survivor-led approach to local peace, prioritizing full-cycle support for the communities it serves, before, during, and after war. With over 15 years of experience together, HUMANITE’s founding team has raised $100M, served 2M people, and created over $1B in economic uplift. Their humanitarian work has been covered by The New York Times, CNN, The Washington Post, the BBC, Al Jazeera, and countless others. As an organization founded by refugees and war survivors, HUMANITE challenges the status quo of humanitarian aid and brings a fresh, local perspective to the sector, aiming to raise the quality of work and impact for people in need.

Our Partners

On September 22, 2022, Olena Zelenska presented her Foundation during a charity evening in New York City during the 77th UN General Assembly. The Foundation’s primary goal is to restore Ukraine’s human capital so that every Ukrainian feels physically and mentally healthy, protected, and able to exercise their right to education, work, and build a future in Ukraine. The Foundation has three key directions: healthcare, education and humanitarian aid. Within these areas, the Foundation provides targeted assistance to Ukrainians who have lost their homes due to the war, as well as to large foster families from the frontline regions. It supplies technology to teachers and students who cannot attend schools due to the war, and also repairs shelters in schools and kindergartens. The key healthcare project is the restoration of the Izium Hospital in the Kharkiv region.

“The humanitarian needs across Ukraine today are profound. In this hour of need, we turn to you, our friends in North America, for love and support. We wish you enjoy amazing performances, feel inspired with Ukrainian culture, and be sure that only life can triumph over death, only light can overcome darkness, and only beauty can defeat destruction.” ‍ – First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska

Additional Partners

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Ukrainian ballet troupe’s quickly-assembled u.s. tour brings war-torn dancers to suffolk for 4 days.

Thibault Camus/AP

Performing at the Theatre du Chatelet, Paris, on March 8.

Maryna Apanasenko of the Kyiv City Ballet. The dance company left Ukraine on Feb. 23 and landed in Paris for a performance. Russia invaded Ukraine the next day and the company has not been able to return home. It has since launched its first U.S. tour and will be performing and holding master classes in Suffolk from Sept. 19 through 22.

Dancers with Ukraine's Kyiv City Ballet stretch before performing at the Theatre du Chatelet, in Paris, on March 8. The ballet danced to a full house for the last show of a French tour that began as Russia invaded Ukraine, leaving the company stranded away from home. They described being physically and emotionally exhausted. Being given the opportunity to train and dance was for many a chance to focus on something other than the war.

On Feb. 23, the Kyiv City Ballet flew to Paris for a tour of France that was supposed to last two weeks.

They never went home.

The next day, Russia invaded Ukraine with troops and bombs, launching a war that seemed possible yet unbelievable when the dance company left the country. Most of its members still don’t feel safe returning.

Until they can, they will continue dancing.

For four days in September, 45 dancers from the world-class troupe will be in residency at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, a stop on a quickly-assembled American tour. They will give two performances in the center’s 530-seat Birdsong Theater and host master classes and field trips for children and adults.

“It’s been very tough, very hard,” said Ivan Kozlov, Kyiv City Ballet’s artistic director, speaking via Zoom from a Middle Eastern tour stop. “We want to keep working and smiling and dancing no matter what. It is a way to fight for our country. We show our culture and our strength and power from the stage, and nothing can beat us.”

The U.S. tour will be the first for the company, which is based in Ukraine’s capital city. An evolving schedule calls for 14 or 15 stops from mid-September to late October, including Chicago, New York and Detroit.

After that, no one is sure where they’ll go. Home, they hope, but they can’t know.

Since February, the dancers have been based at a hotel in Paris, leaning on one another for support and relying on donations and grants to cover living expenses and new tights, leotards and costumes. They have performed sold-out charity concerts in France to benefit Ukrainian civilians and have traveled elsewhere in Europe, as well as in the United Kingdom and the Middle East.

Suffolk Center leaders reached out to the troupe’s booking agency after hearing it had planned a show in North Carolina.

“It’s an incredible opportunity under terrible, traumatic circumstances,” said Lorelei Costa Morrow, Suffolk Center’s executive director. “We’re grateful that we can give these world-class dancers a home, make them feel valued and provide a stage to tell their stories.”

The dancers will stay at the Hilton Garden Inn on the Nansemond River near downtown Suffolk, which has offered discounted room rates. They will perform three short Ukrainian pieces one night and a full-length “Swan Lake” ballet on the second.

The Suffolk Center also will host two days of interactive events for students from schools and dance companies. A “Backstage Pass” event, for late-elementary grades, will let students watch a rehearsal and ask the dancers questions about their experiences and current events.

When the dancers learned of the invasion only hours before their performance of “The Nutcracker” in Paris, they were in total shock, according to Kozlov. Many had believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent forces to the border simply as a scare tactic.

Fighting panic, dancers carried their cell phones on stage in case family or friends tried to contact them. Waves of intense emotions — sadness, fear, anger, determination, pride and, on stage, joy — have hit them ever since.

“It’s like being in two places,” Kozlov explained. “There is a subconscious thing where you’re not quite there on tour, even though you are on tour. We always think of the people we love at home. We must cheer each other up as much as possible.”

A few dancers have decided to go home, although men who cross back into Ukraine in wartime are required to stay to defend their country. In many cases, loved ones have encouraged the performers to stay safe and maintain a voice by remaining abroad.

Kyiv City Ballet performs both classical ballet and traditional Ukrainian dances, including one planned for Suffolk in which the men go to battle wearing the colors of the country’s flag. “It’s going to be very moving and powerful given the world events,” Morrow said.

“Swan Lake,” meanwhile, is one of the most famous ballets in the world. The Tchaikovsky composition, which premiered in 1877 in Moscow, tells the love story of a princess turned into a swan by a sorcerer’s curse. For complex historical reasons, it also has become a coded form of protest in Russia against the war in Ukraine.

After Suffolk, dancers are scheduled to fly from Norfolk to Chicago. They are doing their best to live in the moment and not think too far ahead, Kozlov said.

“We are grateful that we still have the chance to dance, to live, to think,” he said. “We will have to flow the way that life will take us. There is no choice.”

Reach Alison Johnson at [email protected]

When: 7 p.m. Sept. 21 and 22. First night features Ukrainian ballets “Thoughts” (contemporary), “Tribute to Peace” (neoclassical) and “Men of Kyiv” (folk). Second night is the full-length “Swan Lake,” with a finale reception for limited guests from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Where: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave.

Tickets: $45 to $75; $25 for children to age 15; free for ages 2 and younger. Finale reception is an added $25.

Details: suffolkcenter.org; 757-923-2900

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On Pointe On Stage - 'Swan Lake' Greenville Debut A Tour De Force For International Ballet

Composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, “Swan Lake” was performed for the first time nearly 150 years ago by the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow. It has graced the world’s stages ever since.

In May, the classic will make its Greenville debut at the Peace Center Concert Hall, accompanied by the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, and presented by the Upstate’s own International Ballet.

“This is the first time that a full-length ‘Swan Lake’ has ever been performed in Greenville. I still find myself shocked that we're really doing it,” says Sarah Shoemaker, President of International Ballet.

“It's very exciting. The Tchaikovsky score is gorgeous … the Greenville Symphony Orchestra … the amazing dancers … the magic of bringing it all together in a live setting … There’s nothing like it.”

International Ballet was founded in 2003 by Lena Forster, who trained at the School of American Ballet, the official school of New York City Ballet, under George Balanchine.

The academy in Greer would teach a style of dance that originated in Russia called Vaganova, a classical ballet technique that trains dancers known for their precision, endurance and athleticism.

Ukrainian dancer Vlada Kysselova is among the co-founders of the academy and ballet company. Now the Artistic Director, she has spent the past year helping to plan the production and readying young dancers for their roles in “Swan Lake.”

“The girls in our pre-professional company are working and training so hard. I go into rehearsals and am so impressed. The precision is beautiful,” Shoemaker says. 

“Vlada never raises her voice. She never yells at them. But she’s detail-oriented. She will stop the music and have the girls dance a section again and again. And it works. It elevates them.”

Those 22 dancers, high school students, will make up the corps de ballet; 16 professional guest artists will join them.

“Visually, the corps de ballet moves like one body,” Shoemaker says. “When you see birds in the sky, and they all do the same thing, together, at the same time ... That's what the corps de ballet should look like. The audience will gasp at the beauty. It’s an emotional experience.”

Dancers in the lead roles – Prince Siegfried, the Swan Queen Odette, and sorcerer Baron Von Rothbart – will come from the San Francisco Ballet.

“I think people will be awestruck to see dancers of this caliber. San Francisco Ballet is one of the best dance companies in America,” Shoemaker says.

Three alumni from International Ballet Academy, who now dance with other companies, are among the guest artists.

Since its founding, Shoemaker says that International Ballet has retained its commitment to productions, technique, and classes for everyone from moms with toddlers to serious young dancers, adults and professionals.

Other things have changed – including Shoemaker being tapped to lead the organization.

“I didn't seek out this position. Now, it feels like an honor,” she says.

The transition began when a key staff member left the ballet. Shoemaker says she volunteered to help out.

Instead, Forster asked her to work part time. Then, just six months later, Forster announced that she wanted to retire. She asked Shoemaker if she would prepare to take the reins.

“I had a panic attack. I'm not exaggerating,” says Shoemaker, who moved to Greenville 10 years ago with her husband and children after a career as a dancer, dance instructor and actor.

“Part of me knew that my whole life had led up to something like this. It was a service. An amazing woman built this; she wanted to retire; the organization needed leadership; and I knew I could do it.

“I was like, ‘Okay God, I'll say yes.’”

Forster sold the dance academy to the Board of Directors of the nonprofit ballet in 2018. The next year, she retired. Shoemaker became Executive Director, then President.

“I’m proud of Lena for being able to hand over her organization and trust that we would be okay,” Shoemaker says.

Neither Forster nor Shoemaker expected that a full-length production of “Swan Lake” would come a few years later.

“We're excited that Greenville is able to support something like this. It’s next level. It’s going to be incredible,” Shoemaker says.

International Ballet presents three stage performances each year: a mixed repertoire in the fall; “The Nutcracker,” which sold out three shows at the Peace Center last December; and a spring ballet, this year the ambitious “Swan Lake.”

With the Peace Center as its venue, the symphony performing the score, guest artists, sets and dozens of costumes, staging the four-act ballet will cost more than $200,000, Shoemaker says.

“The costumes are incredibly difficult to make, and they all have to be exquisite. There’s a lot of sewing going on,” she says.

“This is only possible because of the generous financial support of the community and the number of talented dancers in our company.”

Last summer, the organization began to repay that support with outreach.

“We are more than a school that exists to serve our dancers and their families. We are receiving enough funding from enough organizations for enough purposes that we have a responsibility to serve the community,” Shoemaker says.

International Ballet’s Project Pirouette expands opportunities for children who otherwise might not be exposed to ballet; an Accessibility Class, still taught by Forster, provides dance lessons to adults with intellectual disabilities; and Storytime Ballet is a collaboration with the Greenville County Library System.

“Just like the dancers on the stage, we work to try to make beautiful things happen,” Shoemaker says. “We’re in the business of uplifting the community. I love Greenville, and I love so many things that Greenville’s doing, and we just want to be part of that.”

Right now, she and the rest of the staff at International Ballet are working to make sure that every seat is filled on May 25 and 26 when the curtain rises on “Swan Lake” at the Peace Center.

“When we're listening to that score live, in that venue, with that ballet … I know how special it’s going to be.”

"Swan Lake" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. May 25 and at 3 p.m. May 26 at the Peace Center Concert Hall, at the corner of Broad Street and Main Street in Downtown Greenville. To purchase tickets, call (864) 467-3000, visit the on-site box office, or go to https://www.peacecenter.org/events . (Make certain to use only the official Peace Center website to purchase tickets.)

Performing throughout Australia and New Zealand in 2024 with the double bill, Forest Song & Don Quixote.

Moving ballet performance with a message

May 22, 2023 – Bill Stephens

Read full review

Forest Song

This legendary ballet, which for over 75 years remains not only the pride of Ukraine, but also of world choreography and cultural heritage. Forest Song is a magical love story, full of mysticism alongside the conflict between the human world and nature. It tells a tale of love between a fantastical forest creature Mavka and a man, Lukash. The story is of the fearless and brave Mavka, who longs for peace in her world, just as Ukraine longs for peace in her country today. The ballet is filled with complex duets, fouettés and incredible choreographic pieces.

Don Quixote

This flamboyant and festive Spanish ballet is a much-loved romantic comedy. It tells the story of a courageous but troubled man’s quest for love. Gypsies, bullfighters, lavish costumes, breath-taking dancers and an inspiring music score ensures that Don Quixote is a not-to-be-missed experience.

GRAND KYIV BALLET OF UKRAINE

Was formed in 2014 by the premier dancer of the national opera of ukraine, oleksandr stoianov..

The company perform a diverse range of classical repertoire, including the legendary ballets Forest Song, Don Quixote, Giselle, Snow White and Carmen Suite, as well as contemporary ballet. The Grand Kyiv Ballet have toured all over the world, including throughout Europe, United States of America, China and South America.

In 2023, the Grand Kyiv Ballet of Ukraine will perform throughout Australia and New Zealand with their double bill, Forest Song & Don Quixote.

The Grand Kyiv Ballet of Ukraine Forest Song & Don Quixote on sale now

YOU CAN’T KILL THE DANCE

The united ukrainian ballet.

We are the United Ukrainian Ballet. Coming from different ballet and dance institutions all over Ukraine, we are united by the tragedy of war in the city of peace. We found refugee in the Royal Conservatory, we moved to a new location in Kijkduin in the former HCO (Haags Centrum voor Onderwijs) . And this is where we keep dancing. From here we travel the world to perform and tell our story. Through everything – the fear, the tragedy, the dislocation – we have found joy, embraced life and kept the dance, and the cultural soul of our nation, alive.

We fight gravity. We fight rigidity. We fight our own limits. We fight the ugly. The evil, the deadly, the inhumane. We fight with beauty. Discipline. Love. Music. And muscle. United we dance against war – Our art stronger than artillery, Our souls immune to soulless violence. You can’t kill the dance. You can join it – and stand for the best of being human.

We couldn’t do without the support of .

And other Kickstart Cultuurfonds Participating financiers

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Igone de Jongh

Matthijs Bongertman

Rinus Sprong

Alexei Ratmansky

Jiří Kylián (Kylián Foundation)

Paul Lightfoot

Carmen Thomas (Kylián Foundation)

Gertie van Meijel (City of The Hague)

Stefan Stolk

Taras Onishchenko

Robert Serry (voorzitter)

Bart Meuter (penningmeester)

Jan Zoet (secretaris)

Lilian Gonçalves - Ho Kang You

Mayor Jan van Zanen (The Hague)

Arjen Kapteijns (Ministry of Social Affairs)

Ambassador Maksym Kononeko (Ukrainian Ambassy)

Yuliia Malynovska (Ukrainian Ambassy)

Henk van der Meulen (Royal Conservatoire The Hague)

Kiki Rosingh (Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds)

J.S.P. Hortulanus - de Mik (Hortulanus Holding)

Jan van Oosten (Salvation Army)

Martijn de Graaf (Salvation Army)

Marc Verberg (Salvation Army)

Wilco Wolven (Salvation Army)

Gaby Bosma (Salvation Army)

René Mendel (Interakt)

Eerde Hovinga (Blueyard)

Geert Boogaard (Blueyard)

Derk van der Kemp (Blueyard)

Annemieke van der Togt (Togtstrip)

Altin Kaftira

Johan Molenaar

Mark Engelen

For general questions please contact: [email protected]

For press related questions please contact: Patricia van Lieshout [email protected]

The United Ukrainian Ballet Foundation is qualified as a Dutch ANBI and cultural ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling)

For donations please contact: [email protected]  

BELEIDSPLAN

Anbi status.

The Centre Vancouver

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Dates & Times

• Event Location: 777 Homer St, Vancouver   Get directions

------------

• Date: Monday, 2024-02-05
• Start Time:    08:00 PM
• Doors open:  06:30 PM
• Date: Tuesday, 2024-02-06
• Date: Wednesday, 2024-02-07

Show Information

The national ballet of ukraine.

This once-in-a-lifetime performance by the world-renowned National Ballet of Ukraine from the Taras Shevchenko National Opera House features excerpts from some of the world’s greatest ballets such as Le Corsaire and Don Quixote, while highlighting Ukrainian culture through traditional dance. This tour also supports Ukrainians in need by providing audiences the opportunity to help through the First Lady’s Olena Zelenska Foundation as well as additional beneficiaries providing critical human services in Ukraine.

The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, will address audiences prior to the intermission via video and speak to the current humanitarian situation on the ground. Every audience member will be given an opportunity to make a tax-deductible contribution based on what they deem appropriate. Purchasing a ticket to this world- class performance supports these amazing artists and tour costs. The purchase of a ticket is not a tax-deductible contribution.

GENERAL SHOW POLICIES

No box office services are available until 1.5 hours prior to the event/performance.

Doors open 1.5 hours prior to the event/performance.

All audience members, including children, must have a ticket . There are no exemptions to this ticket policy regardless of the child’s age.

Cameras and recording devices are not allowed unless authorized by the promoter or producer. Cameras and recording devices may be confiscated by theatre staff for the duration of the show.

Two Sensational Performances - One Magnificent Evening Of Ballet

Monday, 22 Apr 2024

Griffith Regional Theatre is excited to be hosting international ballet company the Grand Kyiv Ballet of Ukraine with two delightful ballets - Forest Song & Don Quixote on Thursday 23 May.

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Mariinsky Dancers Barred From Youth Ballet Gala in New York

Two dancers from the Russian company were set to perform at a benefit for a prestigious competition for young dancers, but they were sidelined after protests by pro-Ukrainian activists.

By Javier C. Hernández

Two dancers from the Mariinsky Theater in Russia were barred from performing at a youth ballet gala in New York this week after their participation drew criticism from pro-Ukrainian officials and activists.

The dancers had been set to take part in two performances, at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center, that celebrate the 25th anniversary of Youth America Grand Prix , a prestigious ballet competition and scholarship program based in New York.

But Youth America Grand Prix’s leaders removed the dancers from the program after critics said the organization was lending support to the Russian government by hosting the artists. The Mariinsky is a state-run theater in St. Petersburg led by the conductor Valery Gergiev , a close ally of President Vladimir V. Putin.

Youth America Grand Prix said in a statement that the decision “gives us great pain.” It said that in the hours before the first performance on Thursday, it had learned — along with Lincoln Center and others in the ballet world — of possible protests. After consulting with New York City Ballet, which operates the Koch Theater, it said that “it was agreed to cancel the performances of the scheduled Mariinsky Ballet dancers.”

“Art should unite us, not divide us,” Larissa Saveliev, the founder of Youth America Grand Prix, said in a statement. “In a difficult period, ballet should be healing. This is terribly sad.”

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Russian artists and institutions have come under intense scrutiny on the global stage. The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow and the Mariinsky have faced cancellations abroad and have lost prestigious partnerships. Some stars, including Gergiev, who also leads the Bolshoi , and the soprano Anna Netrebko , have been shunned in the West because of their ties to Mr. Putin.

Still, a vast majority of Russian artists have continued to perform without trouble on leading stages, including in New York, and Russian works are still widely performed in the West.

Maria Khoreva, one of the Mariinsky dancers who was set to appear in New York this week, expressed disappointment about the decision. In an Instagram post , Khoreva, who is from St. Petersburg, said the Mariinsky dancers had been rehearsing on Thursday when the decision was made to cancel their appearance.

“We are very sorry that our reunion did not take place,” she wrote, “but art will always find a way to human soul.”

Constantine Allen, a principal dancer with the Dutch National Ballet who was set to perform with Khoreva in the pas de deux from the third act of “La Bayadère,” said he felt that the scrutiny of Russian artists was excessive.

“When situations are handled like this, the conversation is blocked,” he said. “It’s a bit of a shame that we weren’t able to share that — me coming from America, her coming from Russia. I thought it was a beautiful moment to let art prevail.”

Ukrainian officials, who have urged a boycott of Russian culture , have continued to speak out against Russian artists, especially those with ties to state-run institutions.

“There is no place for Russia on the international stage,” the Ukrainian consulate in New York said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. It added, “It is totally incomprehensible for Russian artists, dancers, performers to participate in events as if there is no war in Ukraine.”

Demonstrators gathered at Lincoln Center on Thursday evening holding signs reading: “They laugh, we cry. They dance, we die.” A group of young women dressed in white tutus splattered with red paint danced on the sidewalk.

The appearance by the Mariinsky dancers had drawn criticism from some elected officials, including from Michael Novakhov, a Republican in the New York State Assembly, who wrote a letter to Lincoln Center’s leaders this week calling their participation “totally unacceptable.”

With Russian cultural institutions facing new difficulties in the West, the government has tried to strengthen alliances in Asia and the Middle East with mixed results.

In South Korea this week, a planned appearance by a group of Bolshoi principal dancers was canceled at the last minute amid protests about their ties to the Russian state. That followed the cancellation last month of performances in Seoul by Svetlana Zakharova, a Ukrainian-born dancer who dances with the Bolshoi, because of concerns about her past support of Putin.

Javier C. Hernández is a culture reporter, covering the world of classical music and dance in New York City and beyond. He joined The Times in 2008 and previously worked as a correspondent in Beijing and New York. More about Javier C. Hernández

Stepping Into the World of Dance

As Harlem Stage’s E-Moves dance series turns 25, Bill T. Jones and other major choreographers discuss its impact on Black dance  in New York.

“We the People,” Jamar Roberts’s first dance for the Martha Graham Dance Company, finds the rage and resistance  hidden in an upbeat score by Rhiannon Giddens.

In “Nail Biter,” a New York City premiere, the exacting choreographer Beth Gill explores her ballet roots  and how to be in her body now.

The choreographer Emma Portner, who has spent her career mixing genres and disciplines , comes to ballet with an eye on its sometimes calcified gender relations.

A childhood encounter with an American soldier in Iraq led Hussein Smko to become a dancer. Now the artist performs on New York stages .

“Deep River” is in many ways an apt title for a dance work by Alonzo King, a choreographer fixated on flow .