Ukrainian dancer stranded in Georgia due to war joins Tbilisi Contemporary Ballet troupe
Hailing from Zaporozhye, the city in south-east of Ukraine on the Dnieper River, Vidisheva was looking for a job as a teacher in Tbilisi due to her inability to return home. Photo via Tbilisi Contemporary Ballet
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Ukrainian dancer Olha Vidisheva, who got stranded in Georgia due to the outbreak of hostilities in her country following the Russian invasion, has joined the troupe of Tbilisi Contemporary Ballet and will feature in its upcoming performances.
In an interview with the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s daily programme Rush Hour, Mariam Aleksidze, the founder and Artistic Director of the company, said the move had been made to support the 21-year-old dance professional by providing her with an “opportunity to overcome the pain” caused by the war, in addition to supporting the people of Ukraine amid the military conflict.
The Ukrainian performer will be offered an opportunity to work on contemporary dance techniques with the group and “bring new experiences and knowledge to the homeland [after her return],” Aleksidze said.
The initiative comes from Aleksidze and troupe Director Davit Maziashvili, with the former noting the ballet troupe would continue to support Vidisheva “as long as she needs to.” Aleksidze also highlighted the significance of expressing solidarity to Ukraine "through specific actions".
Hailing from Zaporozhye, the city in south-east of Ukraine on the Dnieper River, Vidisheva was looking for a job as a teacher in Tbilisi due to her inability to return home.
She came across the information on the Tbilisi company on the internet, and soon after was offered the position. The 21-year-old said the opportunity “exceeded my expectations, and I am very happy,” expressing her gratitude and noting she would not cut ties with Georgia after she returns to Ukraine following the conflict.
Founded in 2016 by Tbilisi City Hall, Tbilisi Contemporary Ballet is named after Giorgi Aleksidze, a choreographer who led the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet State Theatre troupe in the 1990s. The troupe promotes contemporary classical dance in Georgia through productions premiering with experimental approach.