Stéphane Place, edited by Gauthier Delomez 12:05 p.m., March 3, 2022, modified at 12:13 p.m., March 3, 2022

A tour in France which had started at the beginning of January, and a final performance on Wednesday evening in the Arcachon basin.

The dancers of the Grand Ballet de Kiev no longer know how to return to their country, while the Russian army leads an offensive.

Europe 1 met these artists who are trying somehow to keep their professionalism to the end.

REPORT

The dancers of the Grand Ballet of Kiev can no longer return home, like thousands of other Ukrainians who were outside the country before the start of the Russian military invasion.

On Wednesday evening, the dancers completed their French tour, which began in January, with a final performance in the Arcachon basin, at the Cravey theater in La-Teste-de-Buch, where the colors of Ukraine had been hoisted at the entrance.

Torn between the desire to find their loved ones, and the warnings about the risks that a return would entail today, these artists have retained their professionalism.

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"I might join a troupe in Germany"

Under the soft music of Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky, each step is mastered, the grace of the movements testifies to the professionalism of the dancers of the Grand Ballet of Kiev, but this one is eaten away by anguish.

As soon as the rehearsal or the show is over, Ukrainian artists rush to their mobile phones.

"It's complicated to dance thinking of Ukraine," says Vladislav, 25.

"For the moment, nothing has been decided, but I might join a troupe of dancers in Germany," he explains at the microphone of Europe 1.

Her troupe colleague, Xenia, 36, agrees: "It's not easy to dance and keep smiling on stage with this worry when you think of our loved ones there."

New dates not planned before the war

Youri Kovalev, in charge of managing the tour of the Grand Ballet de Kiev in France, receives offers of accommodation and many expressions of solidarity to help these artists, whose return to the country proves dangerous, if not impossible.

"Yesterday (Tuesday, editor's note), the director of the Opéra Garnier, the director of the ballet, called me to ask me what the artists want. He offered financial aid, ideally accommodation, for the whole troupe. . It touches the heart", he testifies at the microphone of Europe 1.

Thursday morning, the dancers of the Grand Ballet of Kiev flew to Poland, where a producer stalled, in the space of two days, ten performances which were not planned before the war.