A Ukrainian ballerina displaced by war – in pictures

Ganna Muromtseva, a professional ballerina from Ukraine, fled her country after Russia’s invasion, and now dances at the Hungarian State Opera in Budapest, hoping to one day dance again in Kyiv

Márton Mónus / Reuters

Main image: Ukrainian ballerina Ganna Muromtseva performs in a dress rehearsal for Swan Lake at the Hungarian State Opera in Budapest.

  • A seamstress at Eiffel Art Studios in Budapest adjusts the stage dress of Ganna Muromtseva, 29, a professional ballerina from Ukraine who fled her country after Russia’s invasion
    A seamstress at Eiffel Art Studios in Budapest adjusts the stage dress of Ganna Muromtseva, 29, a professional ballerina from Ukraine who fled her country after Russia’s invasion

  • Muromtseva prepares for a dance class at the Hungarian State Opera. One year ago, the dancer fled Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, on a packed train with thousands of other refugees after the Russian invasion, wondering if she would ever be on stage again
    Muromtseva prepares for a dance class at the Hungarian State Opera

  • Muromtseva and her colleague Boris Zhurilov practise after a stage rehearsal for Swan Lake
    Muromtseva and her colleague Boris Zhurilov practice after a stage rehearsal for the Swan Lake ballet

  • Muromtseva (centre) performs during a stage rehearsal for Swan Lake
    Muromtseva (centre) performs during a stage rehearsal for the Swan Lake ballet

  • Muromtseva looks at her necklace, engraved with a heart inside an outline of her country, at the Hungarian State Opera
    Muromtseva looks at her necklace, engraved with a heart inside an outline of her country, at the Hungarian State Opera

  • Muromtseva practises before a stage rehearsal. ‘When I left Kyiv I even did not count that I will dance any day again. I said bye-bye to my career,’ she said between rehearsals in Budapest to play the demanding dual role of ethereal white swan Odette and deceptive black swan Odile
    Muromtseva practices before a stage rehearsal

  • Muromtseva and Zhurilov practise during a dance class for Swan Lake
    Muromtseva and Zhurilov practice during a dance class for the Swan Lake ballet

  • Muromtseva takes off her pointe shoes after a dance class. Muromtseva was registered as a refugee in Germany last year where she was offered new pointe shoes and a place to practise, before she auditioned for the Hungarian State Opera, which has Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian dancers among its soloists and international corps de ballet
    Muromtseva takes off her pointe shoes after a dance class

  • Muromtseva and Zhurilov with master Irina Prokofieva
    Muromtseva and Zhurilov with master Irina Prokofieva

  • Muromtseva tries on her headdress after a stage rehearsal. Her mother and grandmother returned to Kyiv last year; and her mother plans a visit to see her in Swan Lake at the end of March
    Muromtseva tries on her headdress after a stage rehearsal

  • Ballet dancers perform during a semi-open dress rehearsal of Swan Lake
    Ballet dancers perform during a semi-open dress rehearsal of the Swan Lake ballet

  • Muromtseva takes a bus back to her house after her dress rehearsal for the Swan Lake ballet. Though the Hungarian State Opera has hired her for another year and she is happy with her new opportunity, Muromtseva would naturally like to return home one day. ‘I am waiting for this day, that one day I can dance on Kyiv stage again, but for now I have a contract here’
    Muromtseva takes a bus back to her house after her dress rehearsal for the Swan Lake ballet
Topics