Grand Kyiv Ballet Returns to Boston with Two Holiday Ballets November 29 & 30

Due to popular demand, Grand Kyiv Ballet (GKB) returns to Boston for not one, but two nights of unforgettable performances – the holiday classic "The Nutcracker," and the premiere of their latest holiday ballet, "The Snow Queen."

Back-to-back, one-night-only performances will be held at the Emerson Colonial Theatre: On Friday, Nov. 29, "The Nutcracker," and on Saturday, Nov. 30, "The Snow Queen." The shows mark the triumphant return of this renowned Ukrainian company after their sold-out performance of "Giselle" in February 2024.

By performing this ballet, the Grand Kyiv Ballet Company is giving back to their community. Part of the proceeds of this tour will go to restoring the Main Ballet Academy of Ukraine and repairing the children's dormitory. By attending the performance, audiences not only bear witness to a captivating ballet, but also contribute to the preservation and enhancement of this esteemed institution that has nurtured generations of exceptionally talented dancers.

"The Nutcracker"

In this enchanting version of "The Nutcracker," a young girl befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve. Together, they embark on a fantastical journey to a magical kingdom filled with dancing sugar plum fairies, toy soldiers, and other whimsical characters. Through their adventures, she learns that love, imagination, and kindness can overcome adversity and create wonder in our lives. Considered to be the most popular ballet in the world, "The Nutcracker" was adapted into a ballet in 1892 by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, with a libretto by Marius Petipa, and was based on the story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," by E.T.A. Hoffmann.

"The Nutcracker," Emerson Colonial Theatre, Friday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. Running time is two hours, with an intermission. Recommended for audiences 5 years and older.

Tickets for "Nutcracker" are on sale and are available at this link.

"The Snow Queen"

The GKB's latest holiday ballet, "The Snow Queen," is adapted from Hans Christian Andersen's beloved fairy tale that inspired Disney's "Frozen." Set to the melodies of composers such as Edvard Grieg, Jules Massenet, Mozart, and Vivaldi, this heartwarming tale will bring an evening of unforgettable joy for all ages.

"The Snow Queen" tells the tale of Kai and Gerda, who find themselves in their garden surrounded by fragrant roses when a splinter from a witch's mirror gets into Kai's eye, transforming his once-warm heart into one cold and hardened. One winter day, a snowstorm whisks Kai away, and he disappears, taken by the Snow Queen to her icy realm. Gerda goes in search of Kai, facing many challenges along the way, including robbers, forest fairies, a funny Snowman, and fabulous trolls, but love helps her get through them and free Kai from the spell of the Snow Queen.

"The Snow Queen," Emerson Colonial Theatre, Saturday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m. Tickets for the premiere of the new ballet "The Snow Queen" are also on sale and available at this link.

Both performances are interpreted by Victor Tomashek and Marta Kaliandruk. Tomashek graduated from the State Choreographic School in Kyiv in 2008. He worked at the National Opera and Ballet Theater in Kyiv and later worked at Odessa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater. Kaliandruk was a soloist at Kyiv Municipal Academic Opera and Ballet Theater until 2023. She is also the winner of the III Prize of the International Competition of Classical and Contemporary Choreography "Thought Stream" Kyiv. She has been touring with the Grand Kyiv Ballet since 2022.

This November stop in Boston marks the return of Grand Kyiv Ballet, which kicked off a 60-city tour of "Giselle" in early 2024 that featured the mesmerizing talents of the Grand Kyiv Ballet Principal dancers Kateryna Kukhar and Oleksandr Stoianov, both hailing from the National Opera of Ukraine. Stoianov also is the founder and artistic director of GKB.

For more information, visit The Grand Kyiv Ballet website.

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