Ukrainian International Ballet at the Month of Ukraine in Metz, France

From 4 to 7 February 2026, Ukrainian International Ballet had the honour of taking part in the Month of Ukraine in France, in the city of Metz.

The programme brought Ukrainian culture to different parts of France, and we were grateful to become one part of this larger cultural landscape. In Metz, the event was held under the title Terre Metz, with Centre Pompidou-Metz opening its space for an evening dedicated to Ukrainian artistic voices.

The programme was rich and diverse: performances, a fashion show, films, panel discussions and exhibitions. It was not an evening where Ukraine was treated only as a subject. It was an evening where Ukrainian culture was present in many forms, through different disciplines, generations and ways of speaking to the audience.

For Ukrainian International Ballet, this participation felt both natural and meaningful. We presented our work to an audience that was attentive, open and genuinely present. As artists, we always feel when people are with us in the room. In Metz, that connection was quiet, honest and very warm.

One of the most memorable moments of the trip was the opportunity to meet Vlad Troitsky, a truly important figure in the Ukrainian cultural scene. The conversation with him stayed with us. There is something very grounding in speaking with someone who understands what Ukrainian art carries today, not from a distance, but from within.

What remained after Metz was not only the memory of the performance, but also a simple feeling: we love what we do. Carrying Ukraine through movement is not something we try to declare loudly. It lives naturally in the choices we make, in the way we dance, and in why we continue to appear on stage.

We are sincerely grateful to the organisers and to everyone who welcomed us in Metz. The event was prepared with great care, professionalism and warmth, and we were very happy to be part of it.