The Grand Kyiv Ballet Interview - Oleksandr Stoianov

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Wed 26 Jun 2024

After more than 2 years in exile from their war-torn country, the Grand Kyiv Ballet is in the midst of its tour of Australia and is soon to grace Adelaide with some of the best performers in the world of Ballet. Presenting Adelaide with an expressive double bill of Don Quixote and the classic Ukrainian folktale of Forest Song. You catch these breathtaking performances at Her Majesty’s Theatre on the 26th of June. We caught up with Artistic Director Oleksandr Stoianov to talk about their upcoming show and Ukrainian Ballet.



Weekend Notes: Having been forced to flee Ukraine where is the Grand Kyiv Ballet now based?

Oleksandr Stoianov: The company is currently based in Poland but several of our performers have had to seek asylum in other parts of the world. We have several performers based in the US and other parts of Europe.

WN: How long have you been putting this production together?

OS: We’ve been performing Don Quixote since 2015. Forest Song is new to our company. We first performed it last year in Australia, so it means a lot to us. It is a traditional Ukrainian Ballet with Ukrainian music and costumes. Everything is Ukrainian from the ground up.

WN: Your Australian tour consists of 27 shows from the 4th of May to the 6th of July. Just how demanding is this schedule?

OS: 27 shows isn’t a particularly demanding schedule. We’ve done a 60-show tour in the past. We generally have 6 days of shows and then one day off. This is a good pace for us. Our tour in Australia is especially enjoyable as everyone loves being here and seeing the sights and sounds while exploring our different stops.



WN: How has your company adjusted and persevered through the different conditions the war in Ukraine has brought upon you?

OS: The life of an immigrant is difficult. We have found plenty of hospitality from Poland and other countries but the uncertainty of where we are going or when we can return home weighs heavy on us. Many of us have family and friends who are still in the Ukraine and many of us have been unable to return. Since we were founded in 2014, the Grand Kyiv Ballet Company has grown to over 120 members. Despite everything that is going on we still get plenty of applications from around the world of dancers wishing to join our company. Our reputation as one of the premier Ballet companies is still strong.

WN: Do you have plans to return to the Ukraine with your current production?

OS: We hope and look forward to returning to the Ukraine and doing a grand tour. We especially look forward to performing Forest Song in its country of origin.

WN: What is your role and history with The Grand Kyiv Ballet Company?

OS: Currently I am the Artistic Director. I started with the company as a dancer but age and injuries have me taking more of a backstage role. Now we are blessed to have two amazing Principal dancers in Laureate award winner Viktor Tomashek and the only non-Ukranian member of the company, Japanese Mie Nagasawa. Mie was dancing with the Grand Kyiv Ballet when the war broke out and now tours the world with them.

The Grand Kyiv Ballet is coming to Adelaide on the 26th of June, performing at Her Majesty’s Theatre. You can find more information and tickets here .

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