Kyiv, Ukraine — Before the war, Ukraine's Dancing with the Stars was a beloved and popular TV show, wowing audiences with performances from celebrities and professional dancers. The show is once again included in one special episode – this time with Ukrainian war heroes. like stars, highlighting the nation's resilience in difficult times.
Many still remember how the president Vladimir Zelensky — then an actor — won a dance competition in 2006, the year “Dancing with Circuses” first debuted, as the performance is known in Ukrainian.
In the new special, the dancers perform with prosthetic limbsdemonstrating your strength in overcoming adversity. The participants included public figures who have gained fame since All-out war between Russia and Ukraine was launched in February 2022.
But like the rest of modern Ukraine, the show, which is part of an international franchise, had to deal with many wartime problems, including frequent power outages.
All proceeds will go to the Superhuman Center, a specialized clinic for the treatment and rehabilitation of war victims.
During last week's pre-taping, dancers twirled, jumped and glided under a blaze of lights, with some seamlessly integrating their prosthetic limbs into the choreography.
For creative producer Vladimir Zavadyuk, every segment of the show is valuable, creating something special in difficult times.
“This is about our sustainability and our future,” said Zavadiuk, who also heads Big Brave Events and Big Entertainment Shows at 1+1 Media.
Among the speakers 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 wounded soldiers adapt to life with the help of prosthetics.
She delivered a passionate performance about reclaiming her femininity after trauma.
Also, the favorite dancer Dmitry Dikusar is participating in the show again, this time as a competition judge. He combined filming and serving with his platoon on the front line.
Ukrainian rock musician Evgeniy Galich sat in the dressing room chair before his act, reflecting on his determination to resume the show.
“We are filming this project in a country where there is a war… Our electricity is cut off, there may be an air raid raid, there may be a bombing,” he said. “What do I feel? I feel a sincere desire to live a full life, no matter what happens.”
Producing a special episode of the show during the war was no easy task. A live broadcast was impossible – a Russian attack could happen at any moment. Then there were technical obstacles: the key generator broke during recording last week.
When the show airs on Sunday, viewers will vote for their favorite.
Danilkina, who was just 18 years old when she lost her leg and who today works at the Superhuman Center, captivated everyone with her passionate performance, and her prosthesis fit artfully into her daily routine.
“Our dance number is about life. It's about accepting love,” she told The Associated Press after the performance. “Because in reality, when your body is damaged, it is very difficult to love yourself. And letting someone else love you is even harder.”
She said the injury did not end her life and now she wants to show “thousands of injured boys and girls who are starting their lives over again” that it is not the end of their lives.
For veteran Ivan Voinov and his wife of three months, Solomiya, the show was more than just a dance performance: they danced together for the second time since his injury, the first time at a wedding.
Solomiya Voinova smiled embarrassedly, telling how she spent a long time trying to persuade Ivan to dance until he gave up.
“We keep our eyes on each other as we dance and it’s a beautiful connection,” she said. “I'm happy.”
Voinov said he is already planning their next dance, bachata, a dynamic dance style that originated in the Dominican Republic.
“We can keep dancing,” he said. “This means there is a future.”
___
Alex Babenko in Kyiv contributed to this report.
