The Washington Post: The recent Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces has been hailed as a stunning success, offering a jolt of optimism in a grueling nearly seven-month-old war. But the battlefield death earlier this week of beloved Ukrainian ballet dancer Oleksandr Shapoval, a father of two remembered as “a pure and bright soul,” crystallizes the dreadful cost of the nation’s military victories.
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I wanted to be able to talk a little bit about this article in particular not only because of the tragic loss for Ukraine, but to also talk about how we as a country have somewhat sidelined our previously outspoken support of Ukraine's independence from Russia. Previously, the war was heavily highlighted on the news, on social media, and in classrooms, to the point where even in conservative areas, like where I am from, there was an overwhelming support for Ukraine. However, in more recent times, although Ukraine is still actively fighting for their freedom, we as a first world country talk little about the war now that it has less of an effect on our global economy. It truly makes you wonder how much we all really care about the lives of the people who are in constant danger fighting a war that, quite frankly, should have been stopped a long time ago. Now, looking at the death of Oleksandr Shapoval, we get to see how many people have had their lives completely changed fighting for their own country and freedom. We see through this story a loss of artistry and performance that will be lost for years to come; we come to understand that this war will lead to the stagnant nature of performance arts in Ukraine for years to come, as well as the loss of many works and artistic abilities/achievements by people who were brave enough to stand and fight for their own freedom at the expense of their own life.
This is such a tragedy. The whole war between Russia and Ukraine has been a whole tragic mess that had no reason to start. I think it is ridiculous that it is still going. Oleksandr, the artist who was killed on the front lines, should still be with us to this day, performing his art to the people. Oleksandr is one of countless losses that has been caused by this war, and many of these people whom have been lost will be named, much less in national news. When the war first started, there was a strong feedback from many people around the world voicing their support for the people of Ukraine, but since then this support has seemingly dropped to almost nothing. I have personally hardly seen any recent headlining articles about the happenings of this war, which is quite tragic and sad. There clearly continues to be countless tragedies in this war with each passing day, and yet it is hardly news anymore. My heart truly goes out to all the people lost to this bloody war, and I hope that it ends soon so the people of Ukraine can stop fearing for their lives every minute of every day.
I was listening to this news story on NPR just the other day and that was the first time I had ever heard of Oleksandr. They were interviewing one of his long-time partners and she spoke so highly of him it made me want to go back and watch some of his work. This whole war has been a tragedy and this is a very tangible, public example of what the Ukrainian people have lost. He seems like such a brave and noble man to enlist even though he didn't have to to try and protect his country. Reading about his dance and choreography he sounds wonderful and talented, but what really got to me was how folks described him on a personal level. I can tell the country and ballet community have lost a leader and champion of the work.
Any article on Ukraine is devastating to read, but this one hit close to home. Seeing how the community of dancers across the world speaks to the generosity of Oleksandr Shapoval as an artist and teacher is both touching and very upsetting. But it also reminds us how much we can impact those around us when creating work. Referring to him as a “pure and bright soul” doesn’t tell us how high he can kick or how many years he trained. His colleagues commented on his talent and his technique, but they mainly reflected on how they made them feel. This is a good reminder to all of us to treat each other well while doing what we love. This article notes that he decided to help out with the Ukrainian efforts with no military training. His selflessness and good nature echoes far and wide in this piece. Reminds me of the beauty of art and the unforgivable act of war.
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