The Grand Kyiv Ballet of Ukraine presented a dazzling production of “The Nutcracker” on Nov. 29 at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. Founder Oleksandr Stoianov’s rendition of the traditional ballet celebrated Ukrainian culture and the nation’s ongoing war recovery efforts of its people.

The ballet, which lasts about two hours, follows the adventures of a young girl, Clara, and her nutcracker doll. On Christmas Eve, she receives a wooden nutcracker doll from her Uncle Drosselmeyer. That night, the doll comes to life and leads Clara into a magical battle against the Mouse King. After the victory, Clara is taken through a snowy forest where she is graced with the “Waltz of the Snowflakes.” The Nutcracker Prince then takes her to the Land of Sweets, where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy who shows her a series of dances from different cultures. In the end, Clara wakes up wondering if the adventure was just a dream.

Stoianov founded the Grand Kyiv Ballet in 2014, back when Russia occupied Ukrainian territory for the first time. The company puts on over 500 performances of different ballet productions every year, dancing across four continents.

“Our mission is about people. Everybody knows about Ukraine from the war side, but we also can bring beautiful art, and can bring joy for the audience,” Stoianov said in an interview with The Beacon. “All our performances have a very positive energy, and people who come to the theater can feel it.”

Anna Stoianova and Daniel Kish played the roles of Clara and the Nutcracker Prince. In this version of “The Nutcracker,” Clara and the Nutcracker Prince turned into the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier. The most stunning moment of the ballet was the pas de deux performed by the pair. Kish carried Stoianova across the stage and twirled her around so effortlessly.

Stoianov discussed the nonstop process he goes through to choose dancers to perform in these principal roles.

“I’m almost a retired ballet dancer and I’ve been in this art for 30 years now so I need just two seconds to see the artist and give them their role,” he said. “Of course, a lot of ballet dancers from the United States and from Europe want to support our country and I receive every day a different CD from a different dancer from different countries.”

The company is simultaneously performing “The Snow Queen” on its tour across the United States. The cast performed “The Snow Queen” the night after “The Nutcracker” at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. Earlier this year, the company sold out their performance of “Giselle” at the Colonial as well. Part of the proceeds of this tour will go towards restoring the Main Ballet Academy of Ukraine and repairing the children’s dormitory at the academy.

“The people that come to our performances, they are not just joining our productions, they also support Ukraine and Ukrainian art,” Stoianov said. “When they come to the theater it’s like a place for purifying your brain and your soul because you can become part of the fairy tale.”

The company will continue to tour the United States with “The Nutcracker” and “The Snow Queen” until Jan. 17, 2025. For more information on their past performances, the founding of the company, and how to donate, visit their website, grandkyivballet.com.