A taste of home in Little Odessa: Grand Kyiv Ballet returns to Brighton Beach

The Grand Kyiv Ballet will take the stage at Oceana Theater in Brighton Beach, known as “Little Odessa,” with their version of the iconic Nutcracker this Sunday, Dec. 14.

People nicknamed Brighton Beach “Little Odessa” because so many Ukrainian and Russian immigrants settled there. Odessa is a major Ukrainian port city, making it the perfect NYC stop for the Grand Kyiv Ballet.

“It feels like stepping thirty years back into our childhood. The people who live there seem almost unchanged since the moment they left the Soviet Union. It’s like time has stopped in the most nostalgic way,” said Alex Stoianov, Founder of Grand Kyiv Ballet, to amNY about Brighton Beach.

The Grand Kyiv Ballet is coming back to Brighton Beach, known as Little Odessa.Photo courtesy of The Grand Kyiv Ballet

Stoianov founded the group in 2014, bringing together a band of Ukrainian friends who quickly took France by storm on their first tour, performing in 35 theaters across the country. Their mission aimed to make ballet accessible. Since 2022, Stoianov says, they have adopted a new mission: “Ukrainian culture… we want to promote Ukrainian culture everywhere.”

Amid the Russo-Ukrainian war, Stoianov takes it upon himself to spread the joy and culture of Ukraine so people know more about the country than just its crisis. Most of the dancers are Ukrainian refugees; because of the invasion, many cannot return home. To support their families, the dancers send half of their salaries directly back to Ukraine. That’s why Brighton Beach means so much to the Grand Kyiv dancers—it gives them a little taste of home.

When the Grand Kyiv Ballet visits Brighton Beach, the dancers flock to Skovorodka, a restaurant near Oceana Theater. “They serve everything we grew up with in the Soviet Union that tastes like what our mothers used to make, like fried potatoes with onions and mushrooms and all the homemade pickled vegetables, even pickled watermelon,” Stoianov said. The dancers also make it a tradition to visit the Brooklyn Bridge every time they come to New York, calling it “iconic,” and afterward, they must stop at Luke’s Lobster for their famous Lobster Rolls. “It makes us feel like we’re really in New York.”

The Grand Kyiv Ballet is coming back to Brighton Beach, known as Little Odessa.Photo courtesy of The Grand Kyiv Ballet

“Our art is really important for Ukrainians who live outside of Ukraine, especially in Brighton.” Since most people worry about the country’s political climate, Stoianov strives to bring peace to the showgoers for at least a few hours through a performance that feels like home. The dancers have even incorporated contemporary Ukrainian dance into the performance.

The Grand Kyiv Ballet prioritizes supporting and spreading Ukrainian culture. They dedicate 20% of earnings to fund training opportunities for children in Ukraine who want to learn to dance. At every show, they also launch initiatives to help support Ukraine amid its political climate. To learn more, visit https://www.grandkyivballet.com.ua/en/ .

The Grand Kyiv Ballet is coming back to Brighton Beach, known as Little Odessa.Photo courtesy of The Grand Kyiv Ballet