kiev ballet tour

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

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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

KYIV CITY BALLET

fOunder, Artistic director

Ivan kozlov.

Spreading the message of

peace and love

worldwide through ballet

The Kyiv City Ballet, Ukraine's premier ballet company, is on tour, performing the world's most beloved classic ballets and moving modern works...because they can't go home.

The company's performances speak to the beauty and passion of art... and to the spirit and will found in each of us

Credit: Julie Nash

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Kyiv City Ballet to Make Its First Tour of the United States in Fall

The company, which had been on tour in France when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, will make a stop at Fall for Dance at City Center.

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By Kalia Richardson

Kyiv City Ballet will make its inaugural tour of the United States this fall, the company announced on Tuesday. Since February the company has been in France, where it had a temporary residency at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and performed charity concerts around the country to help Ukrainian civilians.

On the U.S. tour, which begins on Sept. 16, Kyiv City Ballet will perform “Swan Lake,” along with a repertory program of three works. Thirteen cities, including Chicago, Detroit and Charlotte, have been announced as stops, and additional locations may be added later. Among the stops will be New York City Center, where the company, which was founded in 2012, will participate in the Fall for Dance Festival.

The company’s star ballerinas, Krystina Kadashevych and Oksana Bondarenko, will be featured on the tour, as will Vsevolod Maevskiy, a former soloist at the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, now a principal with the troupe.

A day after Kyiv City Ballet’s arrival in Paris on its “Nutcracker” tour, the dancers learned of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In an interview, Ivan Kozlov, the company’s artistic director, said that some of the dancers returned home to serve with Ukrainian forces but were turned away because of lack of experience.

“They need somebody to be on the field who’s helping,” Kozlov said, not somebody who “needs to be helped.”

Kozlov said the dancers, who have kept in contact with family members with frequent calls, have leaned on one another for emotional support. He said he hoped the U.S. tour would not only showcase their art but also prove that nothing can break them.

“They’re trying to stay up,” he said, “up to work, up to help their families.”

Kristopher McDowell, a founding partner of Rhizome Consulting, which is producing the tour, said the Kyiv City Ballet would like to share Ukrainian stories with young Americans through workshops, master classes and conversations between dancers.

“Never have I been told this company needs a day off or this company needs three or four days to sit in their hotel room,” he said. “They want to be out engaged doing community work.”

At Fall for Dance, Kyiv City Ballet will perform a contemporary ballet, “Thoughts,” and a folk dance, “Men of Kyiv.” Stanford Makishi, City Center’s vice president and artistic director of dance programs, said, “They are a band of nomads right now, so to be able to bring them to New York, to give them the opportunity to perform here, I think is really meaningful.”

City Center received funding from the Trust for Mutual Understanding, which awards grants to support the arts and the environment, to help Kyiv City Ballet with travel expenses, Makishi said. A number of presenting organizations like City Center have joined forces, he said, to offset the costs of a large tour.

With Russian forces pressing into the Luhansk region , one of the two provinces of the Donbas in Eastern Ukraine, Kozlov said it didn’t matter which part of the country Russia invaded. If someone raids your home, he said, it’s irrelevant if the attack is on the kitchen, bathroom or hallway.

“It’s the same as the country,” he said. “You want your border to be in the same position as it was.”

Our Coverage of the War in Ukraine

News and Analysis

The Biden administration is increasingly concerned that President Vladimir Putin of Russia is gathering enough momentum  to change the trajectory of the war.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought to reassure Ukrainians  that they could weather an ominous new Russian offensive and count on long-term support from the United States and its European allies.

Russian security agents detained a senior general , widening a purge of the country’s Defense Ministry amid Putin’s broader shake-up of his government .

Frozen Russian Assets: As much as $300 billion in frozen Russian assets is piling up profits and interest income by the day. Now, Ukraine’s allies are considering how to use those gains to aid Kyiv .

Rebuilding Ukrainian Villages: The people of the Kherson region have slowly rebuilt their livelihoods since Ukraine’s military forced out Russian troops. Now they are bracing for another Russian attack .

Ukraine’s Unidentified Dead: Families of some Ukrainian soldiers say they have spent months trying to get official confirmation of their loved ones’ deaths , adding to their anguish.

How We Verify Our Reporting

Our team of visual journalists analyzes satellite images, photographs , videos and radio transmissions  to independently confirm troop movements and other details.

We monitor and authenticate reports on social media, corroborating these with eyewitness accounts and interviews. Read more about our reporting efforts .

Dance Informa Magazine

The Kyiv City Ballet to tour the U.S. in an American premiere

The Kyiv City Ballet, under the artistic direction of Ivan Kozlov, announced a U.S. tour from September 16 to October 24. The fall tour is a U.S. 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 U.S. tour will include a full-length  Swan Lake  (choreography by Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov and 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 U.S. audiences, through Ukranian artists,” said Kozlov. “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 its U.S. 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 its 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: September 16 (Wilmington, NC), September 18 (Charlotte, NC), September 19-22 (Suffolk, VA), September 24-25 (Chicago, IL), September 27 (Detroit, MI), September 29-30 (New York, NY), October 5-7 (Chattanooga, TN), October 9 (Oklahoma City, OK), October 11 (Jonesboro, AR), October 18 (Montgomery, AL), October 20 (Opelika, AL), and October 23-24 (Lafayette, LA). 

For more information, visit  www.kcbtheater.com . 

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Additional Cities Added for the US Tour of The Kyiv City Ballet

The US tour will include a full-length Swan Lake, and a second mixed repertory program of three ballets.

The Kyiv City Ballet, under the artistic direction of Ivan Kozlov, has announced additional cities in their U.S tour, running from September 15 to October 26, 2022. The Fall tour is a US premiere and marks the Kyiv City Ballet's first United States performances ever.

The updated tour schedule is below and includes 15 cities from around the country.

Polsky Foundation, founded in Chicago in 2003 by Michael and Tanya Polsky, has partnered with the ballet to sponsor the US Tour. Polsky Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to helping organizations around the world by providing financial and strategic support. As a proud sponsor of the US Tour, Polsky Foundation has asked that any donations be made to Operation White Stork. ( www.operationwhitestork.org ). 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. To donate to Operation White Stork, please visit HERE .

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.

*Please check the website of each individual city for that city's program, as every market won't be performing every ballet.

"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.

Tanya Polsky said, "Polsky Foundation is supporting Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom and would like to bring the world's attention to the beauty and sophistication of the Ukrainian traditional and modern arts."

"Six months into this war, the needs on the frontlines have not abated," said William McNulty, Operation White Stork's Head of Mission. "Ukraine is losing as many as 150 soldiers per day on the battlefield. Tourniquets, Israeli bandages, combat gauze - these are all medical tools that Operation White Stork provides frontline soldiers. We can only provide these tools through the generosity of our donors including Polsky Foundation."

"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."

To donate directly to The Kyiv City Ballet

click the PayPal link HERE

The Kyiv City Ballet's 2022 US tour schedule is as follows:

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Ukraine’s Kyiv City Ballet Prepares for Its First U.S. Tour

On February 23, 2022, Ukraine’s Kyiv City Ballet arrived in Paris to begin a two-week national tour of The Nutcracker . Russia invaded Ukraine the next day, stranding the company in the French city indefinitely. Since then, the troupe has been relying on the generosity of others while organizing short tours in Europe and actively fundraising to keep itself going.

Now, Kyiv City Ballet is preparing to cross the Atlantic for its first-ever U.S. tour. From September 16 to October 26 the 38-member company will perform in 15 cities across the country, including a stop at the acclaimed Fall for Dance Festival at New York City Center. “I am looking forward to showing good performances, to making the audience happy, and to starting a good relationship with the United States,” said artistic director Ivan Kozlov in a video interview in early August. Kozlov founded Kyiv City Ballet in 2012.

Rhizome Arts Consulting founder Kristopher McDowell, who is producing the American tour, underscored the lengths U.S. presenters have gone to in order to help the company. For example, New York City Center is providing an additional contribution towards KCB’s international travel costs, and the University of Tennessee is organizing a one-week residency for the company with Chattanooga Ballet. “Every day, we’re learning about the tenderness of the human condition,” says McDowell, who hopes that the tour will attract new audiences to dance and ballet. He also wants to achieve a financial stopgap to support the company’s future tours and provide some stability until they can return home.

The Never-Ending Tour

When the dancers left for Paris in February, they were unprepared for an extended stay. But those company members not on the tour had a bigger problem back in Ukraine. As violence spread across the country, they faced the heart-wrenching decision to escape for safety and join their colleagues abroad.

Principal dancer Oksana Bondarenko was home in Kyiv with her family when the bombing began in February. “I was scared,” she told Pointe via Zoom, with Kozlov interpreting for her. Her young son ran in and out of view, and she gently reprimanded him in Ukrainian before embracing him with a smile. “You don’t know what to do. You’re helpless…You just grab your kids and run away as far as possible.”

Bondarenko and her family fled to Lviv, in western Ukraine, eventually leaving for Germany when explosions struck the city. She tried to keep in shape until she could eventually rejoin KCB in Paris weeks later. Although Bondarenko has returned to Kyiv for a brief visit, Kozlov noted that other dancers feel it’s too risky to return.

Fortunately, the company has found a warm welcome and overwhelming support in France, said Kozlov, who shared stories of generosity and support from strangers around the world. The Théâtre du Châtelet, Palais Garnier and other Parisian venues offered their rehearsal spaces and support to the stranded company, while ballet companies have donated dancewear, pointe shoes and other supplies to the KCB dancers, who had only packed for two weeks.

Performing for Peace

Unable to return home, the company instead scheduled intermittent tours throughout Europe to raise money for Ukrainian humanitarian efforts and ensure employment for its dancers. On June 14, they took part in a charity concert at England’s York Theatre Royal, raising nearly £27,000 for UNICEF . The next day, they performed in Biarritz, France, to fundraise for Fondation de France’s refugee support .

“You think that artists are used to travel, used to touring,” Kozlov says, “but now it feels like an infinity tour.” While they are grateful for work and support in the interim, Kozlov says, “everybody [in the company has] hope for the best, and we’re hoping that everything will finish and life will come back.”

For its U.S. debut, KCB is bringing a full-length Swan Lake and a few mixed-repertoire programs. Included among the rep is Tribute to Peace , a neoclassical work choreographed by Kozlov and his wife, associate director Ekaterina Kozlova; Vladyslav Dobshynskyi’s contemporary ballet Thoughts ; and Pavlo Virsky’s Ukrainian folk dance Men of Kyiv. KCB will also present classical suites of selected pas de deux from Don Quixote, La Bayadère , Paquita and more.  

“It’s so nice, so good to hear about people’s hearts, open minds and souls,” Kozlov says of those who’ve made the U.S. tour possible. “We’re really thankful and looking forward to seeing them.”

Kyiv City Ballet U.S. Tour Dates

• September 16, Wilmington, NC: The Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College
• September 18, Charlotte, North Carolina: Davidson College
• September 19–22, Suffolk, Virginia: Suffolk Center for the Arts
• September 24–25, Chicago, Illinois: The Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University
• September 27, Detroit, Michigan: The Music Hall
• September 29–30, New York, New York: New York City Center
• October 3, Fort Worth, Texas: Bass Performance Hall
• October 5–7, Chattanooga, Tennessee: University of Tennessee Chattanooga Fine Arts Center
• October 9, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Oklahoma City Community College Visual and Performing Arts Center
• October 11, Mountain Home, Arkansas: Vada Sheid Community Development Center at Arkansas State University–Mountain Home
• October 18, Montgomery, Alabama: Montgomery Performing Arts Centre
• October 20, Opelika, Alabama: Opelika Center for the Performing Arts
• October 22, New Orleans, Louisiana: Mahalia Jackson Theater
• October 23, Lafayette, Louisiana: Heymann Performing Arts Center
• October 26, Minneapolis, Minnesota: Cyrus Northrop Memorial Auditorium at the University of Minnesota

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Grand Kyiv Ballet to tour Australia & NZ

With the devastating war continuing to grind on Ukraine, many Ukrainian ballet dancers are still stranded outside their home country. One group is the Grand Kyiv Ballet.

Formed in 2014, since 2022 the GKB has remained outside Ukraine, touring all around the world, through Europe, USA, China and South America. The company is now embarking on a tour of New Zealand and Australia.

Heading the line-up of dancers are two highly decorated principals from Kyiv's main company, the National Ballet of Ukraine (full name Taras Shevchenko National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre of Ukraine). Oleksandr Stoianov (who is also the founder and artistic director of the GKB) was named People's Artist of Ukraine in 2019, and Honoured Artist of Ukraine in 2016. His frequent partner is the beautiful Kateryna Kukhar, Merited Artist of Ukraine (since 2012) and People's Artist of Ukraine (since 2018). Another of the stars is an Italian ballerina, Petra Conti, who is presently a principal dancer with the Los Angeles Ballet, US.

The program is notably absent of the usual Russian classics. Instead, the GKB is presenting a Ukrainian classic: The Forest Song , which is based on a Ukrainian folk story, and has music by Ukrainian composer Mikhailo Skorulsky. It tells a tale of love between a man Lukash, and a fantastical forest creature, Mavka, "who longs for peace in her world, just as Ukraine longs for peace in her country today". The story has even been made into an animated film, with the main character's features and movements modelled on Kukhar.

The Forest Song is paired with a one-act version of the ever popular Don Quixote . 

The tour by Grand Kyiv Ballet Ukraine begins in New Zealand before opening in Australia at the Glasshouse, Port Macquarie, NSW on May 10 and 11. The company then continues through 20 centres in Qld, NSW, Vic and Tasmania, finishing at the Albury Entertainment Centre on June 30. For details go here.

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Grand Kyiv Ballet

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2024

"Giselle" is a timeless French masterpiece that has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide for over 180 years. Recognized as one of the greatest dramatic love stories ever told, the ballet recounts the tale of Giselle and the Willis, unveiling a narrative of love, betrayal, and vengeance.

The legend narrates the tragic fate of young, unmarried girls, who meet their untimely demise after being betrayed by their lovers. overwhelmed by sorrow and anger, these vengeful spirits transform into the malevolent willis, seeking retribution for their heartbreaking demise..

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New zealand.

wed 05 jun 7:30 am wed 7:30 am Invercargill Venue Civic Theatre

thu 06 jun 7:30 pm thu 7:30 pm Dunedin Venue Regent Theatre

fri 07 jun 7:30 am fri 7:30 am Oamaru Venue Opera House

sat 08 jun 7:30 am sat 7:30 am Christchurch Venue Isaac Theatre Royal

tue 11 jun 7:30 pm tue 7:30 pm Blenheim Venue Blenheim Civic Theatre

fri 14 jun 7:30 am fri 7:30 am Napier Venue Municipal Theatre

sat 15 jun 7:30 am sat 7:30 am Wellington Venue Wellington Opera House

wed 19 jun 7:30 am wed 7:30 am Palmerston North Venue Regent on Broadway

thu 20 jun 7:30 am thu 7:30 am North Shore Venue Bruce Mason Centre

fri 21 jun 7:30 am fri 7:30 am Rotorua Venue Sir Howard Morrison Centre

sat 22 jun 7:30 pm sat 7:30 pm Auckland Venue Auckland Civic Theatre

sat 11 may 2:00 pm sat 7:30 pm Hobart Venue Wrest Point

sun 12 may 5:00 pm sun 5:00 pm Launceston Venue Princess Theatre

tue 14 may 9:30 am tue 9:30 am Geelong Venue Geelong Arts Centre

wed 15 may 7:30 pm wed 7:30 pm Frankston Venue Frankston Arts Centre

thu 16 may 9:30 am thu 9:30 am Melbourne Venue Palais Theatre

sat 18 may (may 18) 8:00 pm sun 19 (may 19) 8:00 pm Sydney Venue State Theatre

tue 21 may 7:30 pm tue 7:30 pm Orange Venue Orange Civic Theatre

thu 23 may 7:30 pm thu 7:30 pm Griffith Venue Griffith Regional Theatre

sat 25 may 7:30 pm sat 7:30 pm Caloundra Venue The Events Centre

sun 26 may 2:00 pm sun 2:00 pm Toowoomba Venue Empire Theatre

tue 28 may 7:30 pm tue 7:30 pm Bathurst Venue Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre

wed 29 may (may 29) 7:30 pm thu 30 7:30 pm Newcastle Venue Civic Theatre

sat 01 jun 7:30 pm sat 7:30 pm Port Macquarie Venue Glasshouse

wed 26 jun 7:30 pm wed 7:30 pm Adelaide Venue Adelaide Festival Theatre Moncrieff Theatre

thu 27 jun 7:30 pm thu 7:30 pm Albury Venue Entertainment Centre

fri 28 jun (jun 28) 7:30 pm sun 30 (jun 30) 2:00 pm Canberra Venue Canberra Theatre

wed 03 jul (jul 3) 7:30 pm thu 04 (jul 4) 7:30 pm Wollongong Venue Illawarra Performing Arts

fri 05 jul (jul 5) 7:30 pm sat 06 (jul 6) 7:30 pm Dubbo Venue Dubbo Regional Theatre

sun 07 jul 2:00 pm sun 2:00 pm Gold Coast Venue Star Casino