Dance for Ukraine 2026
Dance for Ukraine 2026 aims to support young Ukrainian ballet students four years into the devastating Russian invasion
This article was first published on London Unattached
Dance for Ukraine 2026, a fundraiser in aid of ballet students in the war-torn country, is just around the corner, the latest in a series of events providing much needed help to Ukraine. But before we launch into the detail of the forthcoming show, let’s just look at the context in which it’s taking place.
Now in the fourth year of a war sparked by Russia’s 2022 invasion, life in Ukraine is challenging in ways that only those that have lived through something similar can even begin to comprehend. It’s the loss of a generation of men fighting and dying on the front lines; civilian deaths and injuries caused by indiscriminate drone and missile attacks; acute shortages and the manifold disruptions of everyday life, not least of the hopes and aspirations of young ballet students in a country with a proud tradition in this art form. Still Ukrainians fight on for the integrity of their land and their way of life, with a little help from friends abroad.
One such friend is Ivan Putrov. Actually, he is more than just a friend – he is a Ukrainian ballet dancer based in London, where he reached the rank of principal in a glittering career with The Royal Ballet (1998-2010).
Barely a month after the Russian invasion began, Putrov, already experienced in staging ballet galas through his own charity Inspiration in Motion, put on his first Dance for Ukraine show at the London Coliseum. It was a deeply emotional sold out evening, that raised over £160,000 for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
Since then, Putrov’s projects have narrowed their scope to focus primarily on supporting ballet in Ukraine – the second Dance for Ukraine project in 2024 funded a production of Ashton’s La Fille Mal Gardée at the National Ballet of Ukraine, bringing much-needed joy and a touch of escapism to war-weary Kyiv audiences.
An exponent of English ballet at its happiest and most stylish, never before performed in Ukraine, La Fille Mal Gardée was rapturously received, its performances occasionally interrupted by air raid sirens, but never aborted. By all accounts, and despite being unfamiliar with the exacting Ashton style, the dancers of National Ballet of Ukraine did it full justice.
Equally important, though, is to support the young hopefuls, children who continue to attend ballet school and work hard to become the next generation of Ukrainian dancers. Dance for Ukraine 2024 distributed £160,000 worth of shoes and dance wear to Ukrainian ballet students, who were understandably delighted with their gifts.
Now Putrov is putting on Dance for Ukraine 2026 in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and its President, Dame Darcey Bussell. The performance is on a smaller scale than previous galas: it will take place in the afternoon in a dedicated theatre at the RAD Battersea HQ, and those wanting to attend are asked to fill in an application form and pay anything upwards of a suggested £65 per ticket (all info on how to apply and donate at the end of this article).
Royal Ballet dancers form the bulk of performers at this matinée: among the names already announced as offering their services are those of Royal Ballet dancers Joseph Sissens and Mariana Tsembenhoi, who is herself Ukrainian.
Also taking part are Joshua Junker, Caspar Lench, Hannah Park, Viola Pantuso and Martin Diaz, all part of the company’s exciting younger generation, alongside established company principal Akane Takada.
Ukrainian dancers taking part include Birmingham Royal Ballet artist Alisa Garkavenko, special guest dancer Mariia Shapoval, and Royal Ballet School student Denis Teixeira. There will be an opportunity to meet the dancers over post-performance refreshments.
Proceeds will go towards supporting students aged 10-18 at the Kyiv State Ballet College and the Serge Lifar Kyiv Municipal Academy of Dance. Both prestigious schools are fee-paying: a donation of £1,500, for example, can support a student’s annual core costs in a country where severe hardship means that household incomes can be as low as £160 per month.
© Teresa Guerreiro
(Banner Image: National Ballet of Ukraine in La Fille Mal Gardée. Photo: Oleksnder Putrov)
This is a fund-raising event with a suggested minimum donation of £65. To apply for admission click here
To donate click here
Dance for Ukraine is at the Aud Jebsen Studio Theatre, Royal Academy of Dance on 21 March at 2 pm