This film tells the story of the Russian cultural genocide against Ukraine—the story of the ballerinas and dancers who must make a choice: to leave the country, to stay and dance, or to pick up arms and fight.
Synopsis
Throughout the last century, ballet has been used by Russia as a form of political propaganda and an expression of “soft power”. When Russian forces took control of Mariupol and Kharkiv, they bombed the theaters, operas, and museums—targeting and killing artists. As Russia tries to erase the culture of Ukraine, ballet once again takes center stage as a lynchpin of international politics and resistance in Eastern Europe. How do these dancers navigate their choice to leave their homeland or to stay under a blanket of rocket fire? As prima ballerina Khrystyna Shyshpor asks, “If everyone leaves, who will stay and dance?” Dancers who have remained find themselves performing in between air raid sirens and bombings. For those who traded the stage for the front lines, picking up arms to defend their country, some have paid with their lives. And for many dancers the only option was to take refuge abroad, where they can continue their dreams and share their culture with the world. Through unprecedented access to these dancers and their brave resistance, this film tells the remarkable story of how these individuals are fighting to keep the heart and soul of Ukraine alive.
Krystyna Shyshkarova - is a renowned dancer and choreographer in Kyiv who founded Totem Dance School over 14 years ago. Growing up the daughter of a dancer in the National Ballet, Krystyna never expected her own dance career would turn to planting landmines or secretly transporting supplies, but she has helped over 10,000 soldiers since the war broke out, training with the Special Forces and running an underground volunteer center to aid soldiers on the front line. Shyshkarova’s dance studio has become a destination for returning soldiers—as well as all students—to process their trauma through dance. As a mother, she is navigating her choice to stay in Ukraine and fight, while also training a whole new generation of dancers and artists behind her.
Oleh Tokar - is the stage director at the National Academic Opera and Ballet in Kyiv by day, and a volunteer Unit Commander of the Territorial Defense Forces by night. For Oleg, a former ballet dancer, choreographer, and now stage director, dance and art are the soul of Ukraine. His life’s work exists in preserving that soul and the cultural heritage of his people, and he is committed to that charge at all costs. Between defending against drone attacks and directing performances during air raid sirens, Oleg lives a dual life of service against Russia’s attempted cultural genocide of Ukrainian artists. With his daughter currently dancing at Shyshkarova’s studio, Totem, she is part of a dwindling future generation of dancers who have chosen to remain in Ukraine instead of going abroad to continue their training.
Khrystyna Shyshpor - is a well-known social icon, philanthropist, and principal dancer for the National Ballet of Ukraine. And now, along with her colleagues, she’s facing the biggest challenge of her career: performing on the stage while Russia targets theaters with coordinated missile attacks. As a mother, Khrystyna bravely made the choice to stay in Kyiv with her daughter and take the stage, even while others have taken their families and left. And towards the beginning of Russia’s invasion, her former dance partner Oleksandr Shapoval gave his life on the front lines, receiving the highest medal of artistic achievement posthumously from President Zelenskyy. Now, Khrystyna is continuing to bring joy to audiences in Kyiv with her fellow ballerinas as they courageously take the stage each night.
Petro Chupryna - has spent his whole life in the field of arts and culture. As the General Director and Artistic Director of the Taras Shevchenko National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Ukraine, he witnessed the growing conflict with Russia throughout his 30 years at the theatre. With the theatre being the flagship of opera and ballet in Ukraine, Petro believes they have been entrusted with a serious mission to preserve Ukrainian art and its traditions. Under his leadership, the ballet has done and continues to do multiple performances abroad, to raise money for Ukraine and spread a positive image of Ukraine.
Svitlana Onipko - was a ballerina at the National Ballet of Ukraine for over 8 seasons. When Russian invaded, she took up the call to tour internationally, raising money for the war effort by performing benefit concerts. Then, she found her way to the United Ukrainian Ballet company, a refugee collective founded in the Netherlands, where she danced for Ukrainian freedom for another 2 years. Svitlana is now back in Kyiv, returning after the death of her father, and is still creating art about the ongoing war, including dancing again at the National Ballet. Her collaborative project with photographer Felipe Jácome, Unbroken, has exhibited across the US and Europe, and like all her art seeks to “bring a little bit of beauty to this violent and sad situation.”
Kira Vyshnevetska - chooses to be Ukrainian despite her Russian citizenship. Born in Ukraine, her father moved the family to Russia in the early 2000s because of the tough economic conditions of the time. Kira studied ballet at the prestigious Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia, and was a professional ballet dancer for 16 years. For Kira, dancing ballet is “an opportunity to live a completely different life, some incredible story.” She was outraged when the war with Russia broke out in 2014. Never identifying as Russian and always considering Ukraine her home, she began going to protests and was arrested, beaten and detained multiple times by police. During one such arrest, she escaped a prison van and eventually made her way to Ukraine where she serves in the Ukrainian volunteer army unit “Blind Fury”, defending the freedom her ancestors fought for.
Larysa Tarasenko - is the archivist and librarian of the opera house in Kyiv and has spent 32 years preserving the history of art and politics in Ukraine, some pieces dating as far back as the 1700s. She is the keeper of their culture, documenting the transition from USSR occupation to Ukrainian independence, and is actively working to preserve it in the face of Russia’s new attempts at genocide. When the invasion began, she bravely moved into and sheltered within the actual archives, taking her responsibilities to amazing lengths. Since, she has been digitizing sheet music, providing photos, videos, and additional historical documents to outlets internationally to spread Ukrainian content and awareness for the war effort.
Tatiana Shapoval - could not stop her husband from taking up arms and defending their homeland. Oleksandr (Sasha) Shapoval, lead dancer at the National Ballet of Ukraine and dance partner to Khrystyna Shyshpor, became a grenade launcher for the Ukrainian resistance and died fighting against the Russian oppressors. President Zelenskyy himself presented Tatiana with one of the highest national awards dedicated to Sasha, honoring his for sacrifice. Now living abroad, she supports her daughter’s dreams of becoming a ballerina like her father and continuing his cultural legacy, while Tatiana is left to pick up the pieces.