Kyiv City Ballet, Peacock Theatre, London (26-30 Sept evenings, Wed & Sat matinees)

[Emeralds]

If anyone is going on the first night tonight, do post your thoughts and reactions here! This was the troupe that made the news headlines last year for being stranded in Paris when Ukraine was invaded shortly after they got off the plane to tour France. They’ve made brief visits to York, Bath, Edinburgh etc but this is their first London visit. Their programme is planned to include Les Sylphides, possibly a pas de deux from La Bayadere (according to the trailer), and some Ukrainian folk dance. Looking forward to all reviews and feedback from members for subsequent performances too.

 

NB it’s at Peacock Theatre in Holborn, not Sadler’s Wells.  

[Tango Dancer]

I'm selling a ticket for this at the moment because I have Covid and don't feel well enough.  I'm gutted to miss it so would love to know how people like it.  

 

 

[Emeralds]

1 hour ago, Tango Dancer said:

I'm selling a ticket for this at the moment because I have Covid and don't feel well enough.  I'm gutted to miss it so would love to know how people like it.  

 

 

Oh no! You poor thing. Hope you get well soon. If you don’t get takers for your ticket, the box office will let you exchange to a later date (I think the charge is £3 but am not totally sure- just email them or phone them before 6pm as they don’t answer just before performances) if you’re well enough for Friday or Saturday (if you don’t need to travel by train on Saturday). I hope you’re  feeling  better very soon. 

[Angela Essex]

I am there now with 2 ladies from one of my classes. I will report back shortly. Program looks amazing.

[Tango Dancer]

43 minutes ago, Emeralds said:

Oh no! You poor thing. Hope you get well soon. If you don’t get takers for your ticket, the box office will let you exchange to a later date (I think the charge is £3 but am not totally sure- just email them or phone them before 6pm as they don’t answer just before performances) if you’re well enough for Friday or Saturday (if you don’t need to travel by train on Saturday). I hope you’re  feeling  better very soon. 

 

Thanks, that's kind of you.  I had arranged a trip to London for this to tie in with work commitments (which I have rearranged) and I'm not sure I'll be able to get down again while it's on.  If you or anyone else wants the ticket please get in touch. 

[Fiz]

@Tango Dancer Oh no! Get well soon. 

[Emeralds]

I’ve bought mine already, unfortunately, @Tango Dancer, but will keep an ear out, so to speak- if anyone I know is thinking of going on Thursday I’ll point them in the direction of your post. 

[alison]

5 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Their programme is planned to include Les Sylphides, possibly a pas de deux from La Bayadere (according to the trailer), and some Ukrainian folk dance.

 

Quite a bit (3 bits) of La Bayadere, actually, but no Les Sylphides - were you confusing it with Act II of Giselle?

[Emeralds]

45 minutes ago, alison said:

 

Quite a bit (3 bits) of La Bayadere, actually, but no Les Sylphides - were you confusing it with Act II of Giselle?

Did you go tonight, Alison? - if so, fab! Les Sylphides was mentioned on the Sadler’s Wells booking publicity, but of course, subject to programme changes and cast changes as always (especially when wars are involved). How was the show? Three bits of Bayadere is not bad - more than what London has had for the last 3 and a half years . 😁

[JNC]

Also interested on reading thoughts for this. I very nearly booked (and primarily for Les Sylphides) so I’m selfishly glad they didn’t do that for my FOMO. (I stuck to two shows of ENB instead.) 

 

I do miss Bayadere though. 

[Geoff]

5 hours ago, Emeralds said:

Les Sylphides was mentioned on the Sadler’s Wells booking publicity

For the record, here is what the Sadler’s Wells website says at the moment:

 

We are privileged to be welcoming this incredible group of artists to the Peacock Theatre for their first ever London performances. The company presents a varied programme of excerpts from some of their favourite pieces including Les Sylphides, a fragment from the ballet Tribute to Peace (choreographed by Ivan Kozlov), Carmen, Sirtaki, and Men of Kyiv (a Ukrainian folk dance). 

[MAB]

They didn't appear to have enough dancers for Sylphides.  However according to the programme they do have a dancer called David Wall (!?)

[alison]

?!  

 

Were Sirtaki and Tribute to Peace on the programme?  Anyway, regardless of the circumstances, I was very glad to have the 3 substantial chunks from Act II (Russian version) of La Bayadere.

[Geoff]

Contrary to what it still says on the Sadler’s Wells website here is the programme for last night (there were some last minute changes in the running order but all - except I think one piece - was performed):

 

 

[LinMM]

I’d liked to have gone to this too (and still haven’t been to the Peacock theatre) but had to choose between this and the ENB Our Voices programme so went for the latter as am not really a great fan of gala type pieces but nevertheless was for a good cause. 
Hope you are better soon too Tango Dancer. 

[Irmgard]

I attended the matinée on 27 September and it was a very enjoyable way to spend a Wednesday afternoon.  This gallant little company of twenty dancers has been homeless since they flew from Kyiv to Paris on 23 February 2022 to start a European tour, unlike the United Ukrainian Ballet in which dancers fleeing from Ukraine were given a home and rehearsal premises in the Hague.  It is to the credit of directors Ivan and Ekaterina Kozlov that they have managed to find enough work and support to keep their company going and is a testament to the indomitable Ukrainian spirit.  Looking at the ladies of the corps de ballet, I noticed how very young they are to be separated from their families during what is such a traumatic time for all Ukrainians.   With any small touring company such as this, there is a varying degree of technical ability but what is noticeable about this group of dancers is their evident love of dance and how happy they are to be able to perform.  They gave a very good mixture of excerpts and stand-alone pieces which were well received by a very enthusiastic audience.

 

The company has six principals, and I recognised Kristina Kadashevych, from Kharkiv, from my visit to Kyiv in October 2021 for the Ballet Festival and Competition where she and her partner were awarded the pas de deux prize for their very steamy performance of the pas de deux for Crassus and Aegena from “Spartacus”.  At the matinée, she struggled a little with the balances in the Act II pas de deux from “Giselle” but sparkled mischievously in the little bit of fluff which was the pas de deux “Sirtaki” choreographed by A. Rubina to what we know as the theme from “Zorba the Greek”, partnered by an equally cheeky Yevheniy Sheremet, the plot of which seemed to be what two Greek statues get up to when they come to life.  She and Vladyslav Bosenko opened the second half of the programme with a dazzling performance of the pas de deux from “The Talisman”, accompanied by the graceful ladies of the corps de ballet.  The company has several very tall male dancers, including Bosenko who covered the whole stage in just two jetés on the diagonal, and I would love to see what they can do on a much larger stage.  Bosenko also impressed in the pas de deux (done here in the pas de trois version) from “Le Corsaire”.  Unlike recent productions, Andrii Havryliuk as Conrad was not given a solo but acted solely as a ‘porteur’ for Oksana Bondarenko as Medora.  She suffered from a rather unflattering costume, which demonstrated how much better the Petipa choreography for her (here attributed to Perrot) looks when done in a traditional tutu rather than harem pants.  Bondarenko and Havryliuk also gave us the pas d’action for Gamzatti and Solor from “La Bayadère”, one of three segments from that ballet given in the programme.  There were three pieces of new choreography, firstly “Servant of the Muse” danced by Kateryna Floria and Artem Shoshin to the Intermezzo from Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and choreographed by V. Kastsel which seemed to have a plot slightly similar to “Le jeune homme et la mort”, with the young artist at the mercy of a dominating female.  Secondly, “Next to you” choreographed by the dancer Shoshin and performed by him with Floria to music by Beethoven which had a lot of contemporary movements and lifts in it which was very warmly received by the audience. Lastly, there was an excerpt from “Tribute to Peace” by company director Kozlov to the Nimrod variation from Elgar’s “Enigma Variations” which was a very charming piece danced by Kadashevych and Bosenko.  The Ukrainian Cossack heritage was very much on display in the Ostap dance from “Taras Bulba”, thrillingly danced by Nykyta Chudovksy, and in “Men of Kyiv”, choreographed by P. Virsky to Ukrainian folk music.  Danced by all the male dancers, it began rather tamely but soon livened up as they had a dance-off, with each dancer competing to show us their most spectacular steps.  I only wish it had been longer, but it was an exhilarating end to a packed and very entertaining afternoon which also gave us a variation from “Laurencia”, “The Dying Swan” and a fragment from Alberto Alonso’s “Carmen Suite”, danced with panache by Kateryna Floria and Mykhailo Shcherbakov. Rail strikes and public transport issues notwithstanding, I would recommend this as a great entertainment this weekend for anyone wishing to get a taste of various classics with a dash of the modern and folk dance.

[Sim]

Thank you for this lovely review, Irmgard.  I am unable to see them so this is the next best thing.  

[Emeralds]

Thank you @Irmgard and @Geofffor the descriptions and photo respectively- I’d been very keen to see the company and their programme, and after seeing the photo, especially The Talisman (a beautiful pas de deux that is seldom danced for professional performances  in the U.K. ), the Laurencia solo,  and the Taras Bulba excerpt. Unfortunately we have had an unexpected bereavement this week, and with the rail industrial action, has meant we cannot attend Kyiv City Ballet, the Ballet Nights dancers’ debut at Lanterns Studio Theatre, and the final cast of ENB Our Voices. I’ve donated to Kyiv City Ballet and hope that this brave company can flourish amid the war and for years and years to come. The programme and performances sound wonderful (thank you Irmgard) - I’ve seen Oksana Bondarenko before and she was incredible (in Don Quixote I believe); if anyone is in London and not requiring railway trains to get home, do check them out. 

Edited September 30, 2023 by Emeralds