Katerina Kuhar and Alexander Stoianov are leading dancers of the Ukrainian ballet, honored artists of Ukraine. And in normal life – a harmonious, caring spouse who lives in a common cause

Alexander: “There were a lot of invitations to work abroad, but they all came just at the moment when I was with Kate or were already a family or have just begun to meet. Therefore, I did not consider some proposals because I could not leave my love. Katerina did not want to leave Ukraine, and I did not want to change my family for a career: the family is much more important for me. In addition, in my opinion, our theater is one of the best in the world, so it makes no sense to go somewhere abroad. We can work here and ride the tour ”
Katerina: “I am very happy, because Sasha is my partner. He copes with me, as with a crystal vase, treats me very carefully not only on stage but also in life: he protects, nourishes me. He is very gallant, tender. Sometimes I watch how some dancers will take their partner in riding support, and then they do not even think how to put it carefully on punts. The man is indifferent: he has made his support and begins to build his own pose. And in a duet it is impossible! Once I was very delighted. Valery Petrovich Kovtun, one of the best partners of Maya Plisetskaya, chose me as a partner for my student from Japan. It was a huge gift of fate. He always told the guys that they should not be seen in Adagio, and everything should be done to make the partner comfortable. That’s why I’m pretty picky, I know what’s “good” and “bad”, and I can safely assure you: Alexander is the best partner, with him now everyone is dreaming to dance ”
 Alexander: “Once I showed my feelings more, now, unfortunately, I rarely give friendly flowers. Those who after the show – are not counted! (Laughs). How nice to bring flowers or frescos in the morning! Romance is very necessary in relationships, especially if we consider that we have a very rich schedule, we all the time together and I can not even go somewhere to prepare a surprise or just buy a gift ”
Katerina: “I entered the choreographic school at the age of nine, and since then the adult life has begun. Ballet people, like athletes, are such a reserve team, only athletes participate in the Olympics once every four years, and we always have to be in the best possible shape. And that’s why the childhood is specific: there is no time for games, no schooling, and the school takes absolutely the whole children’s time. I also had additional lessons with Alla Nekrasova, a jury member of the Choreographic Assembly. Graduated classes in college, then an additional lesson, at home remained power only for sleep (Laughs). Therefore, when parents take an important step – give the child professional occupation, they must understand that there will be such a “death in flowers”
Alexander: “I began to do the ballet quite late. Familiar with art started with ballroom dancing. At one of the ballroom dance competitions I was noticed by a man who was a professional ballet dancer. He came up to my father and said that I could have a great future in ballet. So my destiny was solved. I was 10 years old when I was sent to Kiev from my hometown, to join the Kyiv Choreographic School »
Katerina: “My family is not a ballet. Once my grandmother gave her mother a chance to study at a music school instead of a dance. Then she wished to embody her mother’s dream and helped me become a ballerina. Grandmothers have to pay tribute: she worked as head of the factory, and when I entered college, I got out of work and got to a choreographic school for the first vacant position. I started everything first just to be near and to help me. In the choreographic school there is a clear orientation on special subjects: classics, duets, folk dances, acting skills, gymnastics, music. And attention to school subjects is much less, so my grandmother helped me in school subjects, for example, to write works. With my grandfather I was engaged in mathematics, physics and geography. The whole family helped me: my grandparents and my mother with dad. I remember how my father drew punts to me. Once upon a time, we danced on a wooden floor, from which very quickly the fabric was rubbed on the claws. Dad knit the special pimps, sewing them. All were in fact “(Laughs)
Alexander: “I am very proud of my parents, I love them, I was very lucky with them.
My parents have absolutely never been forced to do anything and did everything to make the child comfortable. They even moved the whole family for me from another city to Kyiv. At first, my mother moved with her older brother and sister, then the sister was born, and then even a dad who worked in another city said, “All, I can no longer live far from you.” The family united in Kiev, all let roots, almost all have already given birth to children. We have a huge family. so it has long since passed since grandfather-great-grandfather: his father grew up in a family where there were six children, and mother – seven. We have a very big family! ”
Katerina: “Dancing with the Stars” is an interesting experiment. I met many prominent personalities with whom we are now communicating and friendship. This project gave me the opportunity to get acquainted with the team 1 + 1. It’s incredibly talented, professional and positive people. After this project, the children are now even more interested in the ballet and an interesting reaction to me. They start shouting: “Oh, ah, this is Katerina Kukhar!” Hug, grab their hands, lean. Yesterday, even detained the Assembly because of this, and I am very uncomfortable, which made me wait. We had to go to the discussion, but I could not deny the children to communicate, because it is joy for them, and everyone should pay at least some attention to them ”
Alexander: “Now more people began to go to ballet, even tickets can not be bought. This is extremely enjoyable, but in the ticket department employees of the National Opera of Ukraine began to joke that they were a little tired of answering phone calls when people were interested: “Will Katerina Kuhar this month be dancing?”, “And in what stage will Ekaterina Kukhar dance?”
Katerina: “For me, as an actress, it’s incredibly enjoyable, but the most important thing that people are interested in come, because the ballet is a backyard, elitist form of art”
Alexander: “We strive to bring back the tradition when the theater was wearing evening dresses on the floor for ballet and opera. We want women to feel like a flower in the National Opera Hall, because there are all the conditions for this: marble stairs, velvet armchairs, parquet floor, huge mirrors to the ceiling. When we dance with Catherine and allow the weather, in front of the theater the red carpet is laid. The theater is a holiday that involves good mood and outfits ”
Katerina: “Regarding the clothes of the artists … Ballet legs are sufficiently worked out, between rehearsals I choose comfortable and warm shoes for my legs to rest, but when it is necessary to” go “into the world, I am trained to have a corresponding look. Look at me, and so I have to be an example of how a woman, a ballerina, a prima must look like ”
Katerina: “They say that I am a strong woman. In the ballet, the weak and do not survive. There were a lot of talented girls, my girlfriends who did not endure huge physical and emotional stress ”
Katerina: “I love flowers very much. All the windowsills are packed with orchids, and they give me credit: they are very beautiful. I flutter in floral shops, florist shops, I really like it, I delicately feel all the flower flavors. I would gladly cut flowers, collect songs. I’m even mad at home for that. When after the performance give flowers, I disassemble the bouquet, cut it in, put it in a vase, know where to throw sugar or something else, so that they stand for the longest. Roses are very fond of when they are put into cold water for the night, they are drunk with that moisture and stand for much longer. Apparently, if he did not become a dancer, he would be a florist (Laughs). Or engaged in some kind of organizational activity ”
Katerina: “The International Choreographic Assembly in Zhytomyr is just an incredibly important event! It develops not only the level of culture in your city, but also throughout Ukraine. We see an increase in the Assembly, which has become international all-Ukrainian. It is important to support people who give their lives to this cause. The Assembly has become a measure of professional level, and this is a huge victory of the organizers and, in the first place, Inna Bourdain ”
Alexander: “Dancing is extremely important for society, because this kind of art heals both the body and the soul. And no matter what the situation in the country, art must be developed. For while art lives and develops, the people live ”
Translated by Aliona Matushevich