Tuesday | 28 February 2023
While Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on, a group of refugees in The Hague, Netherlands, have used their talents to help preserve Ukrainian culture and raise awareness for the dire situation in their country.
Little over a year ago, just after Russia invaded Ukraine, the United Ukrainian Ballet was established. According to the website of the nonprofit ballet company, Stanislav Olshanskyi and Alexis Tutunique, two Ukrainian dancers, sought sanctuary in The Hague at the time while on tour with Dutch prima ballerina Igone de Jongh.
According to Stefan Stolk, producer and managing director of operations of the United Ukrainian Ballet, arrangements were made for a group of Ukrainian dancers and their families to find refuge and training in the Netherlands with the help of organizations like the Salvation Army and Senf Theaterpartners, a Dutch production company.
Senf Theatepartners employee Stolk claimed that because of the company’s contacts to the ballet groups in the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Lviv, they were able to contact dancers and inform them about the safe haven.
The Hague Conservatory, which was about to be demolished, was temporarily secured and renovated by the ballet company and its partners, including the mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, so that refugees may stay there and continue their dance training.
Due to Ukraine’s ban on men ages 18 to 65 leaving the country, the conservatory initially primarily accommodated female dancers and their families. They had 35 to 40 women by the middle of April 2022.
At its height, the conservatory accommodated over 200 refugees, of whom 70 to 75 danced. More than 60 dancers are still employed by the firm today.
A bright spot at a gloomy time: According to Stolk, many dancers arrived with troubled hearts, but once they started practicing again, “you could see everyone forget all the grief and trouble.”
A group of refugees in The Hague, Netherlands, have used their skills to support the preservation of Ukrainian culture and raise awareness of the critical situation in their country as Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on.
Little over a year ago, just after Russia invaded Ukraine, the United Ukrainian Ballet was established. According to the website of the nonprofit ballet company, Stanislav Olshanskyi and Alexis Tutunique, two Ukrainian dancers, sought sanctuary in The Hague at the time while on tour with Dutch prima ballerina Igone de Jongh.
Plans were made for a group of Ukrainian dancers and their families to find refuge and training in the Netherlands with the help of organizations like the Salvation Army and Senf Theaterpartners, a Dutch production company, according to Stefan Stolk, producer and managing director of operations of the United Ukrainian Ballet.
Senf Theatepartners employee Stolk claimed that because of the company’s contacts to the ballet groups in the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv and Lviv, they were able to contact dancers and inform them about the safe haven.
The Hague Conservatory, which was about to be demolished, was temporarily secured and renovated by the ballet company and its partners, including the mayor of The Hague, Jan van Zanen, so that refugees may stay there and continue their dance training.
Due to Ukraine’s ban on men ages 18 to 65 leaving the country, the conservatory initially primarily accommodated female dancers and their families. According to Stolk, they had 35 to 40 ladies by the middle of April 2022.
At its height, the conservatory accommodated over 200 refugees, of whom 70 to 75 danced. More than 60 dancers are still employed by the firm today.
A light in the darkness: Many dancers arrived with heavy hearts, according to Stolk, but as soon as they started working out again, “you could see everyone forget all the grief and trouble.”