NATIONAL BALLET OF UKRAINE AND SHUMKA TO EMBARK ON 16-CITY US TOUR
OCTOBER 8 to 30, 2024
The National Ballet of Ukraine, one of the world’s premier ballet companies, directly from its home, the Taras Shevchenko National Opera House in Kyiv, will bring the company’s finest dancers to the United States for the first time since 1991 for a 16-city tour beginning with an October 8 performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. 20 performances will take place across the East Coast, with the company performing highlights from its classical repertoire selected to showcase and preserve Ukrainian culture and identity. Joining the company will be the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers from Canada, performing vibrant, thrilling traditional folk dances. Shumka has earned a worldwide reputation as one of the finest Ukrainian dance ensembles through its exciting and colorful performances. 44 dancers from the two companies will perform before a state-of-the-art, massive 3-D screen, immersing the audience in spectacular scenic elements enhancing the companies’ world class performances. The tour marks the first time any dance company has performed with this groundbreaking technology.
Proceeds from the tour, from ticket purchases, merchandise, and individual donations, will benefit HUMANITE, an organization that works to meet the diverse challenges the war has inflicted on the citizens of Ukraine by restoring and improving the lives of Ukrainian families. The tour has also established a partnership with Ukraine House in Washington DC and will support their efforts in Ukraine.
Tickets will go on sale Friday, Aug. 16 at 10:00 a.m. ET at nationalukraineballet.com
Donations can be made to HUMANITE, for more information, please visit humanite.org. For more information about the tour, please visit the website nationalukraineballet.com and follow on social media at @NationalBalletUkraine.
The tour is presented by Princeton Entertainment Group. The US performances follow a recent, sold-out Canadian tour hailed as “a magical evening” (Chronicle-Telegraph Québec), “art from the ashes…powerfully presented, very artistic” (Globe and Mail), “not only phenomenal art, but in the midst of war, they are also an effort to guard what’s most precious to Ukraine: peace,” (Global News) and an opportunity for the dancers “to share their art with the world and show that Ukraine remains strong under harrowing circumstances” (Pointe Magazine).
The program for the performance will include some of the most beautiful, challenging and emotionally gripping dances from the classical ballet repertoire, including “La Bayadere,” “Giselle,” “The Dying Swan,” “Don Quixote” and “Harlequinade,” many of which were adapted for the company by Ukrainian choreographers.
“The National Ballet of Ukraine is indisputably one of the world’s foremost ballet companies,” said Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, appointed as Ambassador by the Ukrainian President in 2021. “That said, this tour represents much more than a typical dance performance; it is a symbol of the resilience and bravery of the embattled Ukrainian people, and an opportunity for Ukraine to celebrate its rich and remarkable cultural legacy. The dancers are not just showcasing Ukrainian culture, they are preserving it. Even more importantly, this tour will raise urgently needed funds to help the embattled citizens of my home country as they bravely continue to combat against the harrowing onslaught of the Russian military.”
“Ongoing violence across Eastern Ukraine leaves huge humanitarian gaps in its wake – gaps that most affect children, elderly people, the poor, and displaced. There are still huge parts of the country without regular access to food, water, electricity, medicine and shelter,” says Jeremy Courtney, Founder and CEO of HUMANITE Peace Collective. “This tour is not just an incredible performance and celebration of culture, but a bridge between Ukrainians in need and Americans who want to help. This is an opportunity for us to stand with our Ukrainian friends and make a bold statement that something beautiful really can help mend something ugly and destructive.”
The tour schedule will take the dancers to the following cities:
Washington DC Oct. 8 John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Philadelphia, PA Oct. 9 Miller Theater
Boston, MA Oct. 10 Shubert Theatre at the Boch Center
Bergen County, NJ Oct. 12 Bergen Performing Arts Center
New Brunswick, NJ Oct. 13 State Theatre New Jersey
Red Bank, NJ Oct. 14 Count Basie Center for the Arts
New York City, NY Oct. 15 & 16 New York City Center
Charlotte, NC Oct. 19 Belk Theater at the Blumenthal Arts Center
Atlanta, GA Oct. 20 Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
Jacksonville, FL Oct. 21 Moran Theater
Sarasota, FL Oct. 23 Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
Tampa, FL Oct. 24 Straz Center for the Performing Arts
Miami, FL Oct. 25 & 26 Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
The Villages, FL Oct 27 The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center
Fort Myers, FL Oct. 28 Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW
Orlando, FL Oct. 29 & 30 Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Following this tour, the dancers will return to Kyiv to perform for the holiday season and will subsequently return to the US for additional performances in venues to be announced.
About National Ballet of Ukraine
The National Ballet of Ukraine is considered one of the top-ranked ballet companies in the world and is responsible for keeping the national and classical repertoire standards for the Taras Shevchenko National Opera House in Kyiv. Following Ukrainian independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the National Ballet of Ukraine began extensive international touring, performing across North America, Europe and Asia. Prior to the outbreak of war in February 2022, the company staged 16 productions every month at the Taras Shevchenko National Opera House.
About Ukrainian Shumka Dancers
Established in Edmonton, Alberta in 1959, the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers is Canada’s only professional Ukrainian dance company. Shumka presents dance-theatre touring productions, as well as intimate concert repertoire across the country and around the world. Seen by millions on international television broadcasts, the company has presented command performances for Queens, Prime Ministers, and Presidents, and have performed alongside the likes of Andrea Bocelli, Julie Andrews and Ukrainian artists including Ruslana. Along with Alberta Ballet and Edmonton Opera, Shumka is honored to be a resident company of the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. More than 60 years of performance history has shaped Shumka’s signature music and dance style. While maintaining deep respect for their heritage, Shumka continually challenges conventional boundaries to define the experience of Ukrainian dance in the context of today’s society. More information can be found at Shumka.com.
HUMANITE Peace Collective
HUMANITE is a global peace collective working to reduce the inequalities and exclusions in fragile states that lead to violence. Founded by refugees and war survivors, HUMANITE takes a unique, survivor-led approach to local peace, prioritizing full-cycle support for the communities it serves, before, during, and after war. With over 15 years of experience together, HUMANITE’s founding team has raised $100M, served 2M people, and created over $1B in economic uplift. Their humanitarian work has been covered by The New York Times, CNN, The Washington Post, the BBC, Al Jazeera, and countless others. As an organization founded by refugees and war survivors, HUMANITE challenges the status quo of humanitarian aid and brings a fresh, local perspective to the sector, aiming to raise the quality of work and impact for people in need. More information can be found at humanite.org
Princeton Entertainment Group
For almost 40 years, Princeton Entertainment Group’s producing signature is the creation of innovative productions and promoting the world’s most important artists and artistic institutions. Princeton’s tours, appealing to cross-generational audiences often reach five continents. Over its history, Princeton’s clients, touring productions, and co-producers include: Andrea Bocelli, Justin Timberlake, Cher, Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, Beck, Nana Mouskouri, Harry Belafonte, Idina Menzel, Joan Rivers, Linda Ronstadt, Liza Minnelli, Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions, The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, John Williams, Charlotte Church, Denyce Graves, The Irish Tenors, Sir James Galway, Marvin Hamlisch, John Lithgow, Star Wars: In Concert, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony, the Pittsburgh Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, San Diego Symphony, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. Princeton’s current production Lasting Impressions in 3D, an immersive exhibit, IMAX film, and orchestral performance is currently touring worldwide.
