Dance performance «Lesya» from Art ballet company in Kyiv

On a autumn evening, September 16, 2025, on stage ICCA «October Palace» real witchcraft will happen - Dance performance «Lesya» from Art ballet company - the only neoclassical troupe in Ukraine, presents the unique ballet-biography «Lesya» by Ukrainian ballet master Artem Shoshin in Kyiv!

The ballet «Lesya» created by the talented Ukrainian choreographer Artem Shoshyn, is not merely a dance performance but a profound, emotional, and powerful biography of one of the greatest figures in Ukrainian culture—Lesya Ukrainka. This work of art is an attempt to translate the poetess's complex life, tumultuous inner world, and extraordinary creative genius into the language of movement, plasticity, and music.

Shoshyn does not set out to create a chronologically precise, documentary-style biography. His «Lesya» is more of a kaleidoscope of emotions, experiences, and key moments that shaped her as an individual and as an artist. The choreographer masterfully uses classical ballet vocabulary, complementing it with elements of contemporary choreography to convey the full spectrum of feelings: from childhood joy and dreams to profound suffering, from love to loneliness, from creative uplift to physical pain.

One of the most potent aspects of the ballet is its musical component. The music does not simply accompany the movement; it becomes a full-fledged partner that creates the atmosphere and helps to reveal Lesya's inner world. The combination of classical melodies with contemporary compositions allows the audience to feel how tradition and innovation coexisted in her life, how she fought her illnesses, and how she yearned to breathe freely.

The image of Lesya Ukrainka in the ballet is not that of a fragile, sickly woman often portrayed in traditional interpretations. Shoshyn presents her as a mighty, unbroken spirit who, despite her physical suffering, remained strong and unwavering. Her dance solos are an explosion of emotions, a demonstration of her inner strength and deep philosophical thought. Her movements are not only grace but also struggle, not only beauty but also pain, not only tenderness but also resolve.

In the ballet «Lesya» Shoshyn skillfully portrays her relationships with the people closest to her: family, loved ones, and friends. These emotionally charged scenes allow us to see Lesya not only as a poetess but as a living person who loved, suffered, and felt. Particularly striking is her internal dialogue with herself, conveyed through duets with her "alter-ego," a "shadow"—a symbol of her pain and creativity that constantly accompanied her.

«Lesya» by Artem Shoshyn is more than a ballet; it is a true artistic manifesto. It is an attempt to comprehend and reinterpret the life and work of Lesya Ukrainka in a new, modern context. It is a call to reflect on the power of the human spirit, the struggle for identity, the importance of art, and the timeless relevance of the great poetess's work. This biographical ballet is extraordinarily significant for the Ukrainian cultural landscape, as it not only honors the memory of Lesya Ukrainka but also shows how classical ballet can be relevant, contemporary, and profound, speaking of the most complex things in a language accessible to all.

Place: The International Center for Culture and Arts (October Palace),
Adress: Kyiv, Нeroyiv Nebesnoyi Sotnі Alley, 1