Ukrainian evacuee ballet dancer twins to perform in charity show in Kobe

KOBE -- Ukrainian twin ballet dancers who fled the Russian invasion of their home country to Japan will perform in a charity show to be held here on July 15.

In the event organized by ballet company Kobe International Art and to be held at Kobe Bunka Hall in the city's Chuo Ward, Japanese ballet dancers who returned from Ukraine or Russia due to the war will perform in a program including "Paquita." Ukrainian twins Oleksandr and Svyatoslav Lipko, both 28, will be part of the company.

The brothers are from eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region. They evacuated to Japan, where their older sister lives, in April as the fighting in Ukraine intensified.

On June 12, they joined the first all-performers' rehearsal, and checked the choreography and their positions. They said that it was a little tough because they had been away from ballet for a while, but they would like to convey the importance of peace on stage.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for the July 15 charity show, and the curtain will go up at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available on the following phone and websites (all in Japanese) for 7,000 yen (about $52) for a first-floor seat, and 5,000 yen ($37) for a balcony seat:

-- Kobe Bunka Hall: 078-351-3349

-- Ticket Pia: https://t.pia.jp/pia/event/event.do?eventCd=2217527

-- Kobe International Art: https://www.kobe-i-ballet.com/%E3%83%81%E3%82%B1%E3%83%83%E3%83%88%E8%B2%A9%E5%A3%B2/

(Japanese original by Takehiko Onishi, Osaka Photo Department)