This initiative, the remembrance dance of one year Ukrainian war, was made by the dancers of The United Ukrainian Ballet. It was performed on the 24th of February and later filmed to honor all those who suffered.
This war needs to end!
I've had the pleasure to work with these beautiful dancers and I'm proud to share this dance video with the world. It was a very special process for me because of the weight the dance carries and location where it was filmed. The building used to be my academic/ballet school, The Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. I have spent 8 years of my life learning the craft of ballet there, next to attending regular high school classes. It had been transformed into a refuge for hundreds of Ukrainians. Sadly I've come to learn that the building will be torn down and all Ukrainians were relocated shortly after filming.
As far as I know this is the last dance ever performed on that stage...
A big thank you to all dancers involved and Kiran Gezels for creating this choreography with them. Also my dad Rob Sjouke and friend Eddy Konijn for helping me with the filming of it.
DANCERS
Anastasia Belechynska
Anatoliy Bahmut
Vladislava Kovalenko
Valeriia Matsegora
Martin Korol
Evelina Chapska
Egor Horbunov
Ksenia Novikova
Dmytro Tkachenko
Iryna Khutorianska
Marat Ragimov
Arina Purymova
Oleksandra Geiko
Violetta Hurko
Danylo Butenko
MUSIC
"Melody" - from "The High Pass"
Myroslav Skoryk
(All credits go to the artist. I do not own the rights to this music)
CHOREOGRAPHY
Kiran Gezels
DIRECTED BY
Sem Sjouke
CAMERA & LIGHTING
Eddy Konijn
Sem Sjouke
COSTUMES
Cindy Innemee
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Igone Römer-de Jongh
Britte Weijers
Stefan Stolk
Matthijs Bongertman
Thom Stuart
Rinus Sprong
Rob Sjouke
Leger Des Heils