"Ale-up" - A Ukrainian youth circus as a talent factory
- Daniel Burow
- Apr 30
- 8 min read
The term "youth circus" has a different meaning in Ukraine than in Western European countries. Circus is by no means only seen as a playful hobby here. The numerous youth circuses (also called studios) prepare young people from a very early age for the possibility of one day being accepted into the renowned Kyiv Circus Academy and for pursuing a career as a circus performer. They are true talent factories and help explain why Ukraine produces so many top performers whom we encounter in international show productions.
I personally have a very special connection with the Ukrainian youth circus "Ale-up." When coach Oleg Kurinsky's group was threatened by the war approaching Kyiv in the spring of 2022, we jointly forged a plan to bring some of the students to Germany. They found a temporary home and opportunities to continue training at the helpful Montelino Youth Circus in Potsdam.
Many of them have since returned. Despite the still difficult conditions in Kyiv, "Ale-up" continues its programs for aspiring artists and enjoys growing recognition and the success of its students at international festivals. Handstand artist Sonya Kotelenets, a member of the cast of the Scenic Circus production LYALKA, is a student of Oleg Kurinsky. And I am delighted to once again have one of his students in the coming Scenic Circus show production – Daria Ilnytska, who came to Germany with us in 2022 and is now continuing her training and education at the Berlin state school of acrobatic arts.
To honor the work at Ale-up, I would like to publish excerpts from an interview that Alina Kuleba conducted with Oleg Kurinsky and the head of the artistic department, Natalia Petlytska, for the Ukrainian online circus portal Circuslife.com.ua.
Ale-up was founded over 30 years ago. How did it all begin?
Natalia: The group was founded in 1991 and is as old as independent Ukraine. It was one of the first children's and youth circuses in Ukraine. The idea behind its creation was to provide comprehensive training for children: choreography, general acrobatics, the basics of circus genres (juggling, hula hoop, partner and group acrobatics, etc.), and individual specialization in circus genres.
The founder of the group and its first director was the famous circus artist Anatoly Pidgorny. However, due to his sudden death, he did not lead the group for long. Afterward, the group was led by the famous Sobolev circus couple, Vyacheslav and Vira. Since 1992, the Honored Artist of Ukraine, prima ballerina of the Kharkiv and Kyiv Ballets, Tetyana Kuzmina, has been part of the team. She was the director from 1997 to 2010. Since then, the artistic directors of the Ale-up Circus have been a married couple: Oleg Kurinsky, USSR Master of Sports in Acrobatics, and Iryna Ginzhaliuk, a qualified teacher from Kyiv.
I believe that over 150 of our graduates have attended the Kyiv Academy of Circus and Performing Arts throughout our history. We recently had a very successful year – 11 students were accepted into the academy.
What criteria are used to select teachers at Ale-up?
Natalia: The qualification requirements for teachers are quite high. First, they must be a person with professional training, preferably as a circus artist, and with more than one discipline. A teacher should be proficient in at least two or three genres. We employ such trainers today.
The most important criterion, however, remains a love for children and the ability to teach them. Not every artist can do this; it's difficult. The demands are therefore high, but we are looking for people who love their job, enthusiasts. Because salaries in extracurricular education are not as high as those of circus performers.
Oleg, your students train for many hours, but they speak so warmly about their training and about you as a teacher; their eyes literally burn. How did you, as a famous circus artist, get into teaching, and what is the secret of your students' incredible love?
Oleg: I worked as an acrobat in the circus for about 30 years. Before that, he had spent 7-8 years practicing sports acrobatics and earned a master's degree in physical education. I worked in the vastness of the Soviet Union, Europe, Japan, America, and Australia. I traveled everywhere with my wife and young son. (...)
Starting in 2000, my wife, Iryna Ginzhaliuk, began working at Ale-up. I also returned here regularly between contracts and later devoted myself entirely to the youth circus after I ended my career as an artist. For as long as I can remember, I've always taught someone something. If I happened to have a million dollars in a Swiss bank account, I would still work and not withdraw any money.
Some of your students say you're able to "raise even the dead." What's your secret?
Oleg: Like the old Odessa joke about Fima Rabinovich and the 100-meter dash:
"Have you heard of Fima Rabinovich? He runs 100 meters in 5 seconds."
"What are you talking about? That's impossible. The world record is 9 seconds."
"You don't understand." Fima knows the shortcut." [Laughs].
Natalia: Indeed, professionalism is at the heart of everything. This is a proven and established method. Oleg Yurievich very quickly recognizes talented children and begins to professionally teach them the basics. It seems to me that the word "impossible" isn't even in his vocabulary. So, the most important thing is to give children the opportunity to train. If you don't train, you won't achieve results.
Secondly, communication with children is carried out on an absolutely equal footing, with understanding, attention, and respect for each child. I recognize that they're not on equal footing; the position of teacher and student remains, but the children love him very much.
And the third point is that Oleg Yurievich is an absolutely creative person. He never stands still; he's always looking at something, inventing new things, trying things out. He has musical talent, directing skills, and accompanies the production of a number from start to finish.
Do you currently select the students in whom you see potential, or do you tend to work with everyone to achieve results with each individual?
Oleg: Especially now, supporting children is in high demand, so we try to find approaches for everyone and take the students' wishes into account.
Do you talk to children about their future, whether they'll be in the circus or not?
Oleg: I try to give them some advice. There are some really funny stories. When they ask me for advice, I give it, but in the end, the students often do the opposite.
The advice depends on the specific work of a particular child. You can even teach a bear to stand on its front legs if it's really necessary. The key question is: "Does the child really need this?"
I was talking to a friend, a basketball coach, and I asked him, "Why are you so sad? What happened?" He said he was walking down the street and saw a boy who was about 14-15 years old and about 2 meters tall. And he was walking so easily that he was even jumping. He ran after him for three blocks, caught up with him, and offered to play basketball and become an Olympic champion. And the guy replied, "Why basketball? I write computer programs."
So it happens that people are capable of something but don't want to. And the opposite happens: They have a crazy desire but average abilities. It depends on this how we talk to the student, what we talk about, and what advice we give for the future.
We've spoken to many Ukrainian artists who already perform internationally, and it seems that it was the Ukrainian school that laid the foundation for them.
Oleg: You know, in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv, there has always been a very strong school of sports acrobatics. The level at the Kyiv Circus Academy was high. Strong artists have always come out of there. And now, at the international level, I see that when people hear the phrase "Ukrainian coach," especially in the context of handstand acrobatics, it's a sign of quality.
Handstand acrobatics is a rather difficult genre, especially given its health implications. These often involve joint problems, complex injuries, and difficult recovery. How do you work with your young artists on their future?
Oleg: When someone is a master of sports, they squeeze even more out of their body than is possible. If you want to participate in prestigious festivals and break records, you have to be aware that this will go far beyond your comfort zone.
On the other hand, everyone has different physical abilities. Some people can withstand a certain load, while others can't even handle half of it. This means that each case requires an individual approach. Some people are gifted in one thing, others in another. You have to be aware of this and choose the right profession.
When people come to me for advice, they ask how much exercise they should do. I answer that you should do enough so that you can repeat it the next day. If you can't work the next day, you've overdone it. This means you can't take on too much. You have to listen to your body; that comes with experience. A sense of balance and your own body is very important.
So every student can come to you in any case?
Oleg: The key word is "if they want to". The highest level of pedagogical art is not to force a student to do something, but to create the conditions for them to want to do it themselves. The coach must be a psychologist. In my opinion, the coach's job is to point the way toward development, not to harm.
For example, I use a technique where I provoke a competitive moment between children. That is, I say that someone is better than someone else today. This enables everyone to work better and harder and achieve better results.
How was this season for you, and what are your plans for next season?
Natalia: The last few years have been really difficult for us because many children were displaced due to the fullscale war. Students have already begun returning in 2023, and this year the situation is more stable. Previously, about 200 children worked; now there are 150–160.
While the selection system used to be more stringent, we now try to recruit all willing children to provide them with psychological and physical support. From 2022 to 2024, our team experienced a period of growth. We are well-known in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Europe. Despite all the difficulties, we are maintaining our level.
We continue to teach and, most importantly, we have retained our teaching staff. We thank the management for their tremendous support despite the financial difficulties. The director of the Kyiv Palace of Children's and Youth Creativity, Oksana Mykolaivna Dobrovolska, takes great care of our team.
Another unique feature is that we were the first among youth circuses to begin producing shows and themed programs. We are constantly working in this direction. Among our students, there have always been and continue to be individuals who will become the pride of the future circus art of Ukraine and the world.
This interview was originally published on Circuslife.com.ua
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