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As the house lights turned on and Ukrainian ballerina Kateryna Kukhar took her final bow at Syracuse’s Palace Theatre on Tuesday night, she received a standing ovation from the audience who attended the Grand Kyiv Ballet’s performance of “Giselle.”

“Theater is like a church,” Kukhar said. “When people see performances, they live this small life with the artists. Their soul and mind is purified.”

Founded by ballet star Oleksandr Stoianov, the Grand Kyiv Ballet organizes touring performances of Ukrainian dancers. Since its creation in 2014, the company has presented legendary ballets around the world, such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Children of the Night” and now “Giselle,” which marked their first performance in Syracuse.

“Giselle” dates back to 1841 and follows a young peasant girl of the same name as she falls in love with an aristocrat named Albrecht, who is disguised as a commoner. Upon learning of Albrecht’s true identity, Giselle dies of a broken heart but still returns to save Albrecht from the same fate.

“Giselle” has been performed by hundreds of companies and is known as one of the most famous romantic ballets of all time. Stoianov acknowledges the show’s rich history and said that the Grand Kyiv Ballet’s performance is “just one take” on the story.

As principal dancer of the ballet company, Stoianov plays Albrecht in the Grand Kyiv’s adaptation of the show. The character of Giselle is played by Kukhar, the company’s prima ballerina, who said that every night’s performance is “different than the last.”

“(“Giselle”) is a story that never dies,” Kukhar said. “It is full of mysticism, passion, love and drama.”

The Grand Kyiv Ballet’s tour of “Giselle” takes place amid the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For Stoianov and Kukhar, the ongoing conflict has made the ballet even more meaningful.

Cassandra Roshu | Photo Editor

Giselle is comforted as her heart breaks after discovering Albrecht’s true identity. Oleksandr Stoianov, a principal dancer within the touring company, played the role of Albrecht.

“For us, it’s very important to bring our culture to all countries,” Stoianov said. “We want people to know that we are still going, that we still need support from our allies. We are showing them that we are strong and we are powerful.”

Similarly, Kukhar believes that “art is the most powerful weapon.” She feels particularly moved by one of the last scenes in “Giselle.”

“At the end of the performance, there is a sunrise. For us, this is a symbol for all Ukrainian people,” she said. “All of the darkness, all of the bad things are disappearing, and we can see a future for all Ukrainian children.”

Community members of all ages attended the Grand Kyiv Ballet’s Syracuse performance Tuesday. The Palace Theatre’s employees and show attendees highly anticipated the ballet, said Jackie Dougherty, the theater’s administrator and bookkeeper.

Dougherty said the theater feels “honored” that the Grand Kyiv Ballet company chose to perform in Syracuse.

“It’s a professional ballet from the Ukraine and we understand that, in the political sense, they have a lot going on in their country that’s pretty devastating,” Dougherty said. “Them choosing to come here and share their talents with us, to share bits and pieces of their culture with us, is very special.”

As they carry on with their tour, Stoianov and Kukhar hope to continue delivering messages of confidence and resilience to their audiences. Both dancers believe that their art can “give (Ukrainian) people faith about the future.”

“We want to show people that there is more to Ukraine than this war,” Stoianov said.
“As artists, this is what we can do now. This is our mission.”

Published on February 28, 2024 at 10:39 pm