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 refuge in the former Royal Conservatory in The Hague. 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.
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
GISELLE
UNITED UKRAINIAN BALLET
June 29 – July 2, 2023
Costa Mesa | California | Segerstrom Hall
Following historic performances at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center and the London Coliseum, The United Ukrainian Ballet will make its West Coast debut with Alexei Ratmansky’s Giselle. This new interpretation of one of the greatest romantic ballets in the classical repertoire was created specifically for the company by Ratmansky, who himself is a Ukrainian citizen.
These performances will be the first time Ratmansky’s Giselle is presented in collaboration with Liev Schreiber and his non-profit organization, BlueCheck Ukraine. Thanks to the underwriting support of Elizabeth Segerstrom and the Henry T. and Elizabeth Segerstrom Foundation, proceeds from ticket sales will benefit BlueCheck which was created to vet, verify, and fund Ukrainian-led local and grassroots frontline organizations providing lifesaving humanitarian aid to victims of the Russian invasion.
DANCING IN DEFIANCE
1 SHOW / 3 performances
After the successful performance of Giselle, the company brings their second performance Dancing in Defiance. A unique triple bill featuring the work of today’s leading choreographers; Alexei Ratmansky (Wartime Elegy), Jiří Kylián (Falling Angels) and Sol Léon and Paul Lightfoot (Step Lightly).
Three performances, each in its own way befitting this extraordinary company. Alexei Ratmansky’s Wartime Elegy is his personal response to war and will have its European premiere in the Netherlands. The performances by Kylián and Léon and Lightfoot are a gesture from the Dutch dance world to give the Ukrainian company of refugee dancers a warm welcome.
Dancing in Defiance is an full evening experience where you have the pleasure of enjoying from the comfort of your theater seat world-famous choreography danced by a unique company brought together by war.
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.
PARTNERS
We couldn’t do without the support of
And other Kickstart Cultuurfonds Participating financiers
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Matthijs Bongertman
Rinus Sprong
Alexei Ratmansky
Jiří Kylián (Kylián Foundation)
Carmen Thomas (Kylián Foundation)
Gertie van Meijel (City of The Hague)
Stefan Stolk
Taras Onishchenko
BOARD
Robert Serry (voorzitter)
Bart Meuter (penningmeester)
Jan Zoet (secretaris)
Lilian Gonçalves - Ho Kang You
Bessel Kok
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
Contact
For general questions please contact:info@unitedukrainianballet.com
For press related questions please contact:
Diana van Dijen | diana.vandijen@senf.nl
DONATIONS
The United Ukrainian Ballet Foundation is qualified as a Dutch ANBI and cultural ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling)
For donations please contact:
info@unitedukrainianballet.com