photo by Oleksandra Zlunitsyna
The National Ballet of Ukraine (NBU), one of the world's premier ballet companies and the country's official ballet company, will grace the stages of the United States this October with the dancer's exceptional talent and magnificent highlights from its repertoire. This 16-city tour will include 20 performances taking place across the East Coast, including three New Jersey locations; Bergen Performing Arts Center (30 N Van Brunt Street) in Englewood on Saturday, October 12 at 8:00pm, New Brunswick's State Theatre New Jersey (15 Livingston Avenue) on Sunday, October 13 at 8:00pm, and Red Bank's Count Basie Center for the Arts (99 Monmouth Street) on Monday, October 14 at 7:30pm.
Joining NBU on the tour are the spectacular Ukrainian Shumka Dancers, thrillingly bringing beloved folk dances, including the audience favorite Hopak, to life with jaw-droppingly athletic choreography, traditional music, and historic costumes. 44 elite dancers from the two companies will celebrate Ukrainian culture before a state-of-the-art, massive 3-D screen, immersing the audience in breathtaking scenic elements to enhance the companies’ world class artistry. The tour marks the first time any dance company has performed with this groundbreaking technology.
“This production will be a thrilling showcase of the artistry of the National Ballet of Ukraine’s superb dancers and Shumka’s unbelievably exciting choreography. The 3D LED screen will envelop the audience, erasing the line between viewers and the stage,” said Producer Ed Kasses of Princeton Entertainment Group. “As the only dance company officially touring under the auspices of the Ukrainian government, NBU’s company serve as ambassadors to the United States, affirming that even during the most difficult of times Ukrainians remain strong, vigilant and proud of their nation and heritage.”
Photo by Inara Prusakova
Tickets range from $45 - $150 and are available for purchase at nationalukraineballet.com. Portions of the proceeds from the tour, generated through ticket purchases, merchandise, and individual donations, will benefit two organizations: HUMANITE and Ukraine House. HUMANITE is 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. Ukraine House, opened in Washington DC 2021 by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which raises funds to help Ukrainians affected by the war and serves as a cornerstone of cultural and public.
The tour is produced and presented by Princeton Entertainment Group, HUMANITE, and The Edward E. Haddock, Jr. Family Foundation. 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).
NBU will perform highlights from its classical repertoire selected to showcase and preserve Ukrainian culture and identity. 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.”
Photo by Oleksandra Zlunitsyna
“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, D.C. - October 8 - John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
* Philadelphia, PA - October 9 - Miller Theater
* Boston, MA - October 10 - Shubert Theatre at the Boch Center
* Englewood, NJ - October 12 - Bergen Performing Arts Center
* New Brunswick, NJ - Oct. 13 - State Theatre New Jersey
* Red Bank, NJ - October 14 - Count Basie Center for the Arts
* New York City, NY - October. 15 & 16 - New York City Center
* Charlotte, NC - October 19 - Belk Theater at the Blumenthal Arts Center
* Atlanta, GA - October 20 - Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
* Jacksonville, FL - October 21 - Moran Theater
* Sarasota, FL - October 23 - Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
* Tampa, FL - October 24 - Straz Center for the Performing Arts
* Miami, FL - October 25 & 26 - Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
* The Villages, FL - October 27 - The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center
* Fort Myers, FL - October 28 - Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW
* Orlando, FL - October & 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.
Photo by Oleksandra Zlunitsyna
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. Before war began in February 2022, the company staged 16 productions every month at the Taras Shevchenko National Opera House.
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.
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 nearly 20 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.
Since its founding in 2021, Ukraine House has become a cornerstone of cultural and public diplomacy. Officially opened on September 1, 2021, with a distinguished ceremony featuring President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine House has successfully hosted over 300 events and cultural diplomacy programs. Its philanthropic initiatives, among others, include a notable unbreakable prosthesis and rehabilitation project, which helps Ukrainian children who lost limbs due to Russia’s war crimes and atrocities, to receive medical treatment in the United States and continue living actively and happily.
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.
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