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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