Much of the work of finding new homes for Ukrainian students has been carried out by the New York-based company Youth American Grand Prix...
Much of the work of finding new homes for Ukrainian students has been carried out by the New York-based company Youth American Grand Prix, an organization that organizes competitions to help dancers obtain scholarships. He was due to hold his first-ever event in Ukraine in March. Larissa Saveliev, co-founder of the organization and former Bolshoi dancer, said that when the war in Russia started, she sent an email to the 50 or so dancers who had signed up to say: “If you want help, let me know”.
How the war in Ukraine affects the cultural world
Soon her cell phone number was spreading to dancers in Ukraine, and she was being called day and night, often by students who had arrived at the Polish border, alone, some without passports. Saveliev said they would simply ask, “Where should I go?” She tapped into her contacts and then sent them all over Europe to schools including La Scala in Milan and the John Cranko School in Stuttgart.
About two months into the war, the calls haven’t stopped, Saveliev said. “At first it was a humanitarian effort,” Saveliev said. “All we thought was, ‘Let’s find a bed for these kids.’ Now we have to think about their education.
Saveliev said it was difficult to bring students to the United States because of the lengthy visa process, although she was able to place two students, who already had visas, in American schools. “We have at least 50 schools ready to welcome Ukrainian dancers; we just can’t get them here,” she said. “We’re trying.” (British ballet schools have also been unable to take on students due to strict visa rules, Saveliev added.)
Despite the visa situation, at least one American ballet company is trying to help. On May 4, lawyers working for the Miami City Ballet applied for a visa to Yulia Moskalenko28 years old, director of the National Ballet of Ukraine, to join the company.
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