Kyiv Modern-Ballet

Full name – “Municipal Institution “Theatrical and Entertainment Institution of Culture “Academic Theater “Kyiv Modern Ballet””
Year of foundation – 2005
City – Kyiv (Ukraine)
Genre – synthesis of classical ballet, modern dance and theatrical drama

“Kyiv Modern Ballet” is a leading Ukrainian theater of modern choreography, which has already become a cultural brand of Ukraine. The creative team works under the leadership of the founder and chief choreographer – Honored Artist of Ukraine, laureate of the National Prize of Ukraine named after Taras Shevchenko, People’s Artist of Moldova Radu Poklitaru. The productions of the theater “Kyiv Modern Ballet” are based on bold experiments, consisting in original stage interpretations of classical plots.

Theatre History

“Kyiv Modern Ballet” is a whole universe of modern choreography, born in Ukraine at the junction of bold experimentation and deep respect for the classics. The official date of the theater’s creation is considered to be 2006 – it was then that choreographer Radu Poklitaru gathered a team of like-minded people and laid the foundation for the future cultural phenomenon. But the real countdown for “Kyiv Modern Ballet” began a little earlier – on December 19, 2005, when the premiere of the performance “Le forze del destino / The Force of Destiny” took place. Key artists who later formed the face of Kyiv Modern Ballet worked on this production: scenography, costumes, lighting, sound – everything was combined into a single artistic performance.

Within a year, the high-profile production “Carmen.TV” brought the “Kyiv Modern Ballet” team two “Kyiv Pectorals” – for the best performance and the best work of the choreographer. Then came “The Myth of Verona: Shakespeare Experiments”, “Bolero”, “Rain”, “The Nutcracker” – and new awards. In 2012, the theater, in partnership with the National Opera of Ukraine, created the ballet triptych “Crossroads” to the music of Myroslav Skoryk. The large-scale stage event combined symphonic sound and modern dance.

2013 was a test of strength for the Kyiv Modern Ballet team – the financial crisis almost put an end to the history of the theater. Some dancers left the troupe, and the composition had to be formed almost from scratch. But thanks to the support of patrons and internal stubbornness, Kyiv Modern Ballet survived. Already in 2016, a number of productions were awarded the Taras Shevchenko National Prize. And this was confirmation that modern professional art has a future.

Creative development

In 2009–2017, the Kyiv Modern Ballet troupe worked as part of the Kyiv Municipal Academic Opera and Ballet Theater for Children and Youth, where the main repertoire was formed. It was there that numerous premieres took place, which strengthened the position of Kyiv Modern Ballet on the theatrical stage of Kyiv.

On October 5, 2017, the theater became a separate structural unit by the decision of the Kyiv City Council. And a month later it received academic status. In 2018, the official name of the collective was “Academic Theater “Kyiv Modern Ballet”. Today it is a unique theater for Ukraine, where ballet turns into a dramatic action, and dance into a full-fledged language of feelings.

Later, four performances of Kyiv Modern Ballet were included in the “Kyiv Score” rating as one of the best Ukrainian productions of the 2000s. This became another proof that modern ballet can be intellectual and at the same time exciting.

Repertoire of the Kyiv Modern Ballet Theater

The theater is an author's. The inspiration for most of the Kyiv Modern Ballet's productions is Radu Poklitaru. It is the works of the outstanding ballet master that form the golden fund of the repertoire. At the same time, it is a platform for young Ukrainian choreographers and dancers who try themselves in new roles and develop contemporary art.

Among the theater's iconic works:

Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" is a cult ballet score of the 20th century, which, performed by the artists of the Kyiv Modern Ballet Theater, sounded in a new and completely unpredictable way. Her bold stage interpretation is permeated with the nerve of modernity, the contradictory breath of time, which adds sharpness and inner tension to the familiar music;
"Carmen.TV" - the well-known story of a gypsy from the novel by Prosper Mérimée in this production of "Kyiv Modern Ballet" appears in an unexpected light. Thanks to the innovative choreography of Radu Poklitaru, the characters receive a new stage interpretation - with expressive, almost painful intonations of the present, but without losing the southern charm and passionate atmosphere of 19th-century Spain;
"The Nutcracker" - a resolute, psychologically acute rethinking of the classic fairy tale by Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann. Instead of the usual Christmas warmth, Kyiv Modern Ballet immerses the audience in a surreal tragicomedy about the difficult process of growing up, where modern plastic art is combined with the aesthetics of the 18th century and the cold urbanism of a big city;
"Rain" is a philosophical story, told in the language of a choreographic suite, about human destinies, accidentally connected by a common time and space. Ethnic motifs are intertwined with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, creating a feeling of a dialogue of different voices and worlds that sound dissimilar, but surprisingly harmonious;
"Live"The Long Christmas Dinner" is a performance by Kyiv Modern Ballet, inspired by Bach's complex polyphony, in which Radu Poklitaru reflects on the fragility and paradoxes of female friendship, explores the nature of envy and the subtle psychological mechanisms of relationships;
"The Long Christmas Dinner" is a ballet based on the play of the same name by Thornton Wilder, which traces the almost century-old history of one family through the repeating ritual of holiday dinners.

Features of Kyiv Modern Ballet's choreography

The choreography of the Kyiv Modern Ballet Theater is a synthesis of the academic school and the free plasticity of modernism. Classical positions are intertwined with parallel lines, broken plasticity and expressive acting. Each production is built on metaphors and symbols - the movement here is not decorative, but filled with deep meaning.

Contrasts are one of the main features of the Kyiv Modern Ballet style: from almost weightless tenderness to explosive energy. This approach makes modern ballet understandable even to those who come to the theater for the first time. The Kyiv Modern Ballet repertoire also includes divertissement evenings - a kind of laboratory where new miniatures and debuts of young choreographers are born.

Theatre troupe

“Kyiv Modern Ballet” is a close-knit troupe of universal artists. The dancers possess both classical technique and modern trends, which allows them to realize complex conceptual performances of international level. The theater works as a single organism - from the idea to the premiere, everyone is involved in the creative process.

The structure of the Kyiv Modern Ballet collective is as follows:

ballet (artists, soloists, accompanists);
administration;
artistic and production part;
invited artists (composers, choreographers, artists).

Kyiv Modern Ballet on stage

The stage aesthetics of the Kyiv Modern Ballet theater gravitates towards minimalism and symbolism. The stage space turns into an emotional landscape, where the scenery can change simply during the performance. 3D video installations, light scores, cinematic effects create a sense of immersion.

The costumes of the Kyiv Modern Ballet artists combine historical allusions with avant-garde details, emphasizing the psychology of the characters. All together – light, color, plastic – forms a holistic artistic object, where ballet becomes a modern art performance.

Tours and festivals

Since the beginning of its existence, Kyiv Modern Ballet has actively represented Ukraine on the international stage. Tours have covered France, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Romania, China, Thailand, South Korea and other countries. The collective is a regular participant in prestigious festivals, demonstrating that Ukrainian modern dance is able to compete at the world level. Among the festival events where Kyiv Modern Ballet performances were presented:

“Time to Love Dance” (Biarritz, France);
“Biennale of the Theater named after Eugene Ionesco" (Bienala Teatrului "Eugène Ionesco" — BITEI);
International Festival of Culture and Dance (Bangkok, Thailand);
International Theater Festival FITO (Oradea, Romania);
International Festival-Competition of Choreographic Art (Lodz, Poland);
"Summer in the Style of Modern" (Odesa, Ukraine).

Who will be interested in the work of Kyiv Modern Ballet

The work of the Kyiv Modern Ballet Theater attracts those who are looking for more in ballet than graceful steps. This is art for the viewer who appreciates intellectual subtext, bold interpretations and deep emotionality. The combination of modern choreography and technology makes Kyiv Modern Ballet performances interesting for both young audiences and experienced theatergoers.

Kyiv Modern Ballet: poster

Kyiv Modern Ballet performances in Kyiv are held at several main venues:

Kyiv Opera House on Podil (2 Mezhyhirska St.) – the main stage of the theater, where chamber performances and evenings of one-act ballets are staged;
MCKM (October Palace) – a location for large-scale concerts with complex scenery and mass scenes.