Members of the Grand Kyiv Ballet came to Chicago's Harris Theater for a one-night performance of the ballet Giselle.
The old, classical French ballet shares a tale of heartbreak, despair and brighter days to come. Those themes resonate personally with several of the dancers.
"Art can heal everything," artistic director Alex Stoianov of Ukraine said.
He and his wife, Kateryna, are principal dancers in the performance. Two years ago, the pair were in France and Berlin when devastating news broke of the war at home in Ukraine.
“Our babysitter called us, she was crying, she was with our daughter," Stoianov said.
The two made the journey back to Poland where they reunited with their children. They left for the U.S. and temporarily call Seattle home.
"This tour in the United States is very important for us because art is our cultural front," he said.
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At least 25 other performers on stage share a similar experience with the couple. On Wednesday, they expressed their pain, heartbreak and hope through the ballet.
“We try to help Ukraine's culture to have a future," Stoianov said.
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That's why a portion of the proceeds will go toward renovating the Kyiv State Choreographic College.
"This is our alma mater," he said. "I studied in this college and Kateryna studied in this college.”
He says it's important to hold onto hope and resilience when facing the dark reality of war. Those same themes come to light in the performance.
“[In the] end of our performance, Giselle, the sun rises," he said. "As the sun rises all bad things disappear.”
