- Year founded – 2002
- City – Kyiv (Ukraine)
- Genre – dance theatre
Freedom Ballet is a Ukrainian dance company founded in 2002 by Kyiv-based choreographer Olena Kolyadenko. The company’s work is a spectacular fusion of experimental dance theatre, dramatic art, contemporary choreography, and show elements.
History
The history of Freedom Ballet is inseparably connected with the name of Olena Kolyadenko – a choreographer, director, and one of the most influential figures in the Ukrainian entertainment industry. Her work is widely known through productions created for some of the brightest Ukrainian and international artists, including Tina Karol, Jamala, Nataliia Mohylevska, Laima Vaikule, and many others. She has worked on the country's highest-rated television projects, served as a judge on the show «Dancing with the Stars», and repeatedly confirmed her professional recognition. Yet Olena considers Freedom Ballet to be the greatest achievement of her life.
More than two decades ago, the artist was going through a difficult period: personal hardships ultimately led to the end of her collaboration with the «Art-Classik» ballet, where she had worked alongside Dmytro Kolyadenko. These changes inspired her to start over from scratch. Thus, she founded her own company, which would later become one of the symbols of contemporary Ukrainian culture, gain popularity far beyond the country's borders, and evolve into a true legend.
The story of Freedom Ballet proves that even the deepest crisis can become the beginning of a great creative triumph.
The Birth of the Idea
Freedom Ballet was founded in 2002, although the idea itself emerged almost by chance. One day, Olena Kolyadenko visited a Kyiv nightclub that was being renovated in preparation for reopening as a new concert venue. The venue’s director, Lesia Savenko, suggested that Olena create her own dance company there.
The club was named Freedom, and the name so perfectly reflected the choreographer’s inner state and the concept of the future project that it became the permanent name of the company. After a large-scale audition involving dozens of candidates, 14 dancers were selected. What mattered was not only technique or style, but also the ability to tell stories and convey emotions through movement.
Stage Debut and the Next Steps
Freedom Ballet made its debut on November 2, 2002, when the dancers appeared on stage as part of Mariika Burmaka’s concert programme. As Olena Kolyadenko later recalled, the collaboration came through old professional contacts. When asked whether she had a new company, the choreographer confidently replied: «I have a new ballet!» – and she was believed.
However, just one year after its founding, the project faced a serious challenge. Freedom Concert Hall decided to stop maintaining its in-house ballet company, and the troupe was dissolved. It was then that Olena made the decision to work independently and build the company’s future without outside support. She openly admits that she had no experience in business management or working with producers – she simply devoted herself to doing what she loved most.
From the very beginning, Freedom Ballet was conceived as a dance theatre where every movement became part of a dramatic story. The company’s work has always been based on three principles:
- sincerity: the main goal was not merely to amaze audiences, but to touch their hearts and make them active participants in the performance;
- unity: for Olena, the dancers became a true family, sharing periods of financial hardship together and often working for symbolic fees while waiting for major contracts;
- constant experimentation: from its earliest years, the company boldly explored provocative imagery, psychological narratives, and unconventional artistic solutions.
Creative Development
At the beginning of its journey, Freedom Ballet developed a distinctive signature style in which contemporary dance blended organically with dramatic theatre, cabaret, and expressive acting. The company deliberately abandoned traditional dance conventions, focusing instead on powerful emotions, grotesque imagery, inner freedom, and striking stage expression.
This bold artistic vision quickly attracted the attention of the music industry. Freedom Ballet became a regular participant in major television shows, concerts, and creative projects featuring Ukrainian stars, eventually growing far beyond the role of a traditional show ballet. The next stage brought large-scale international tours, collaborations with world-renowned artists, and the creation of full-scale theatrical productions. From that point on, the company increasingly came to be regarded as a conceptual dance theatre.
Among the most remarkable chapters in Freedom Ballet’s creative biography are its collaboration with legendary Cirque du Soleil director Franco Dragone in Macau, performances on the same stage as burlesque icon Dita Von Teese, and participation in the musical films «The Power of Love and Voice» by Tina Karol and «Mademoiselle Zhivago» by Alan Badoev. Equally significant were invitations to perform at the prestigious Monaco International Circus Festival, attended by members of the royal family, as well as numerous tours across Germany and other countries, where the company’s productions consistently enjoyed great success.
Current Stage
Today, Freedom Ballet is experiencing a new creative peak, focusing on large-scale original productions with profound philosophical depth. The performances «The Wardrobe» and the new premiere Flambé have become vivid examples of Olena Kolyadenko’s artistic maturity as a director and the exceptional skill of the company’s 14 performers.
The company continues to experiment boldly with light, space, movement, and audience interaction, transforming every performance into a living artistic experience. Despite the challenges of the present day, Freedom Ballet remains one of the leaders of contemporary Ukrainian art, demonstrating flawless technique, creative freedom, and an ongoing desire to discover new forms of stage expression. Even more than twenty years after its debut, the company continues to surprise audiences with daring directorial solutions.
The Company
Today, Olena Kolyadenko works alongside her two closest collaborators – talented choreographers Nazar Didyk and Kostiantyn Hordiienko. Together they create production concepts, develop visual imagery, design costumes, select musical material, and refine every detail of future performances. At the same time, the artistic director admits that the final decision traditionally remains hers.
The company’s approach to selecting performers is equally distinctive. For Olena, inner energy, charisma, and sincerity are far more important than formal education or professional training. That is why Freedom Ballet includes many performers who came to dance later in life after working as chefs, technicians, or in entirely different professions. They are united by their love of art and their willingness to continually discover new possibilities within themselves.
Honesty, boldness, and even a certain sense of audacity have become the defining characteristics of the company. Olena Kolyadenko believes that this endless search for new forms and constant experimentation is the true phenomenon behind Freedom Ballet.
Concept and Creative Approach
Freedom Ballet’s philosophy is built upon the combination of movement, stage expression, and profound psychology. Here, every gesture becomes a sincere story about human emotions, and every performer lives through their role without a trace of pretence. The company’s productions are much more than dance performances – they are complete dramatic works in which direction, acting, music, lighting, and choreography function as a unified whole.
The company is easily recognised by its distinctive aesthetic: outward restraint harmoniously combines with intense emotional power, while elegance exists alongside explosive temperament. This contrast, enhanced by the performers’ exceptional skill, captivates audiences around the world.
Freedom Ballet is never afraid to work with grotesque imagery, complex psychological characters, dramatic lighting contrasts, and intimate atmospheres, erasing the boundary between the stage and the audience. As a result, every production becomes a unique artistic performance that remains in the memory of spectators for years and once again confirms the company’s status as one of the brightest phenomena in contemporary Ukrainian culture.
Notable Productions:
- «The Wardrobe» – one of Freedom Ballet’s most successful productions, created in 2016. It is an ironic and sensual choreographic metaphor that unveils human memories, desires, and deepest emotions;
- Flambé – a vibrant production inspired by Jorge Amado’s novel «Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands». Through the language of dance, the performance explores the delicate boundary between passion, love, freedom of choice, and the pursuit of inner harmony;
- «Cabaret» – a large-scale Broadway musical created through the collaboration of Olena Kolyadenko, Freedom Ballet, and the Kyiv National Academic Molody Theatre. The production became one of the most acclaimed theatrical events of recent years;
- «Improvisations to the Music of Sting» – the company’s first major solo production, premiered in 2004. This performance became an important milestone in Freedom Ballet’s artistic journey and brought the company widespread professional recognition;
- «Life as Dance» – a spectacular show celebrating Freedom Ballet’s 15th anniversary, staged at Ukraine Palace. The anniversary concert-performance, featuring leading Ukrainian artists, became a vibrant summary of the company’s many years of creative work.
