Young People from Chesterfield and Ukraine Unite Through Dance at Chesterfield Children’s Festival
Young People from Chesterfield and Ukraine Unite Through Dance at Chesterfield Children’s Festival
An international dance collaboration between young people in Chesterfield and Ukraine will feature at this year’s Chesterfield Children’s Festival, offering a powerful insight into childhood experiences across two very different contexts.
Organisers Junction Arts are bringing Playground to the festival, a specially commissioned co-creative dance project developed in partnership with Chesterfield-based Sunflower Dance, Nottinghamshire choreographer Karla Jones, and the European Academic Lyceum in Lubny, Ukraine.
The project brings together dancers aged 5–10 from Sunflower Dance and young people aged 14–17 from the Ukrainian lyceum. Working collaboratively with choreographers and local children, participants have co-created a dance piece that explores themes of play, imagination, and everyday life.
Despite being separated by distance and the ongoing war in Ukraine, the young dancers have connected through a series of online workshops. Using Zoom and supported by a translator, they shared their experiences of childhood, creating movement inspired by games, daily routines, and the environments they live in. Both groups have contributed choreography, learning and performing each other’s work alongside their own.
The resulting two-minute performance will be presented by Sunflower Dance at the Chesterfield Children’s Festival on Saturday 18th July, with the Ukrainian dancers appearing via a pre-recorded video link.
The project explores both universal aspects of childhood and the distinct realities faced by children in different countries. In particular, the piece reflects the emotional experiences of children living through conflict in Ukraine.
Due to the ongoing war, the collaboration has taken place entirely online, relying on digital communication to overcome language and geographical barriers.
The project was made possible with the support of Nadiia Ishchuk, a Ukrainian now living in Chesterfield, who acted as Cultural Liaison and Project Associate, helping to establish the partnership and facilitate communication between participants.
Jemma Burton, Project Manager at Junction Arts and Producer of the Chesterfield Children’s Festival, said: “Dance has always been an important part of the Children’s Festival, and this year we are incredibly proud to collaborate with young people in Ukraine. This project has allowed us to better understand their experiences of childhood and some of the unique challenges they face.
“Dance is a universal language that communicates stories, experiences and emotions through movement rather than words. We hope this performance will not only bring joy to audiences but also share an important message about peace.
“Coordinating this project online has been challenging, particularly with the language barrier, but it has been an incredibly rewarding experience for everyone involved. I’m so proud of what the young people and creative team have achieved together.”
The Chesterfield Children’s Festival takes place on 18th and 19th July at Queen’s Park, Chesterfield. The two-day event includes live theatre, comedy, art workshops and a craft tent, plus a special early years programme for children aged 0-5 years. It is free to attend, with no booking required.