Ukraine’s Dancing with the Stars spotlights war heroes
Before the war, Ukraine’s own Dancing with the Stars was a beloved and popular television program that wowed audiences with performances by celebrities and professional dancers.
The program is now back on air with a special episode; This time the stars will be Ukrainian war heroes, underlining the country’s resilience in difficult times.
Many people still remember how President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, then an actor, won the dance competition in 2006, when Tantsi zirkamy, as it was known in Ukrainian, made its debut.
In the new special episode, dancers demonstrate their power to overcome challenges by performing with prosthetic limbs.
Participants include prominent public figures since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
But like all of today’s Ukraine, the show, part of an international franchise, had to deal with many wartime difficulties, including frequent power outages.
All proceeds will go to the Superhuman Center, a specialized clinic for the treatment and rehabilitation of war wounded.
During a pre-recording last week, dancers twirled, leaped and glided under the glow of the lights; some seamlessly integrated their prosthetic limbs into the choreography.
For creative producer Volodymyr Zavadiuk, every episode of the show is precious; creating something special in difficult times.
“This is about our resilience and our future,” Zavadiuk said.
Among the artists was Ruslana Danilkina, a war veteran who lost her leg in combat in 2022 and is now known in Ukraine for devoting herself to helping injured soldiers adjust to life with prosthetics.
She gave a passionate performance focused on reclaiming her femininity after traumatic injury.
This time, the popular dancer Dmytro Dikusar also appears in the show as the competition jury.
He juggled shooting and serving with his platoon on the front lines.
Ukrainian rock musician Yevhen Halych sat in the makeup chair in front of his number, reflecting his determination to bring the show back.
“We are shooting this project in a country where there is war. The electricity is cut off, we may have a weather alarm, there may be bombing,” he said.
“What do I feel? I feel a real desire to live a full life, no matter what.”
It was not easy to produce the special episode of the series during war times.
Live broadcast was impossible; A Russian attack could occur at any time.
There were also technical hurdles: A key generator malfunctioned during last week’s registration.
Viewers will vote for their favorite when the show airs on Sunday.
Danilkina, who was only 18 years old when she lost her leg and works at the Superhumans Center today, fascinated everyone with her passionate performance and the prosthetic limb she skillfully integrated into her routine.
“Our dance number is about life. It’s about accepting love,” she told the Associated Press after her performance.
“Because in reality, it’s very hard to love yourself when your body is injured. And it’s even harder to let someone else love you.”
He said his injury was not the end of his life, and now he wanted to show “thousands of injured boys and girls who are starting their lives over again” that this was not the end of their lives.
For master Ivan Voinov and his wife of three months, Solomiia, the show was more than a dance show: It was the second time they had danced together since his injury, the first time was at their wedding.
Solomiia Voinov smiled shyly and told how she had been trying for a long time to persuade Ivan to dance until he surrendered.
“We never take our eyes off each other when we dance, and it’s a great bond,” she said.
“I’m happy.”
Voinov said he’s already planning their next dance — bachata, a fast-paced, hip-swaying dance style from the Dominican Republic.
“We’ll be able to keep dancing,” he said.
“It means you have a future.”
