United Ukrainian Ballet to perform Alexei Ratmansky’s Giselle in London to support Ukraine

United Ukrainian Ballet will perform Alexei Ratmansky’s Giselle in London to support Ukraine.

The production will run at the London Coliseum from 13 – 17 September 2022. All profits from ticket sales will go to support the people and culture of Ukraine.

The United Ukrainian Ballet formed after Ukrainian dancers fled their homeland, and is based in The Hague at the former Royal Conservatoire building, given to the Company to live and work in through the generous support of local business and the government.

Supporting the production are English National Opera who will provide the orchestra, under the baton of Viktor Oliynyk, conductor of the National Opera of Ukraine, and Birmingham Royal Ballet, who will loan sets and costumes designed by Hayden Griffiths.

The Company will be joined by American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Principal Dancer Christine Shevchenko, English National Ballet (ENB) First Soloist Katja Khaniukova, Hamburg Ballet Principal Dancer Alexandr Trush and Alina Cojocaru (former principal dancer, The Royal Ballet; former lead principal, English National Ballet).

Each member of the Company has their own story of how they escaped the devastating war in their homeland to reach safety and join the Company. The personal journeys of the refugee dancers, and the urgency of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, resonate powerfully with Giselle’s timeless themes of love, betrayal, death and mercy.

This unique and moving performance is set to be a highlight of this year’s West End calendar. This is a unique opportunity to see a powerful and moving interpretation of one of the greatest romantic ballets of all time, with a company of world-class artists united by the tragedy of war and an ardent hope for the future.

One of the greatest choreographers of his generation, Alexei Ratmansky, himself a Ukrainian citizen, is donating his time to join the Company to create his new interpretation of Giselle specifically for them. The season will feature guest performances from Alina Cojocaru and Katja Khaniukova.

For more information and tickets (on sale 11 July), visit www.londoncoliseum.org.

All profits from ticket sales will be given to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal and the United Ukrainian Ballet Foundation, which has been set up in the Netherlands to protect, support and spread Ukrainian culture.