Fear is currently a permanent guest with ballerina Iana Salenko (38). The dancer, who was born in Kyiv, calls her Ukrainian family, who are threatened by war, on a daily basis.
“My father, two brothers, aunt, uncle – they are all still there,” says the star soloist of the Berlin State Ballet. Only Salenko’s mother currently lives with her in Tegel and helps look after the three children (13, 2, around six months).
Watching helplessly was never an option for Iana Salenko. The power woman has been on the phone for weeks to support refugees, accommodate Ukrainian colleagues in German ballet ensembles or provide other help. On Thursday evening, the “Ballet for Life” charity gala will take place in the Admiral’s Palace, which Salenko, together with producer Oleksandr Shpak and the Ukrainian embassy, created out of the ground in just a few weeks. She promises: “We got some of the best choreographers in Europe.”
Of course, the ballerina is also on stage herself, dancing a “Tribute to Marlene Dietrich” and a pas de deux with her husband Marian Walter (40) to Johann Strauss’ “Fledermaus”. As a special highlight, Salenko will perform to the music of the Ukrainian rock band Okean Elzy. “It’s something new even for me,” says the dancer, looking forward to the rock sounds. The piece was choreographed by Arshak Ghalumyan especially for the gala.
Father stayed in Ukraine out of solidarity
You can tell how well Salenko does this distraction through work. The shock at the start of the war is still deep: “It surprised us all. Something like that seemed impossible for a long time.” Salenko would have liked to bring her whole family to Berlin right away. But her brothers are not allowed to because of their military service. And the father stayed out of solidarity. “My mother would like to go back tomorrow, because my father is 75 and now often alone,” says the dancer.
The war is also a challenge for Iana Salenko as a mother. She wants to protect her two youngest children for as long as possible. “They are still too vulnerable for the topic.” But of course her 13-year-old son heard about Ukraine at school. “I talk to him about it more often.”
The fact that Salenko has been in Berlin for 17 years and can raise her children here makes things easier for her in such a situation. She is also very positively surprised by the support and solidarity in this country and in all of Europe: “Everyone is trying to help. That makes me happy.”
Thursday, 8 p.m., Friedrichstr. 101.35-75 euros
