Kyiv’s Golden Gate Cup: Young Ukrainian Circus Artists Train and Perform Amid War

As Russian attacks disrupt daily life in Kyiv, young Ukrainian performers continue to train, compete and pursue international careers. The Golden Gate Cup at the National Circus of Ukraine offers a window into a wider movement keeping the country’s circus tradition alive during the war.

On 8–9 October 2026, the National Circus of Ukraine in Kyiv welcomed young performers, coaches and circus professionals from across the country for the third Golden Gate Cup, an all-Ukrainian circus arts festival and competition. Its 124 competition acts, 25-act gala and accompanying professional forum highlighted a cultural network that continues to develop despite the full-scale war.

Circus training amid wartime disruptions

On 9 October, Russian attacks on energy infrastructure caused electricity disruptions in parts of Kyiv. Power outages and air-raid alerts have become part of daily life for families, arts organisations and training centres throughout Ukraine.

Against this backdrop, children and teenagers travelled to the capital from circus schools and studios in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Poltava, Zhytomyr, Berdychiv, Brovary, Boryspil, Irpin and the Zolochiv community in the Kyiv region.

The competition featured 124 solo, duet and group acts in aerial acrobatics, floor acrobatics, balancing, contortion, juggling and other circus disciplines. Participants ranged from children younger than seven to performers aged up to 18. For many, the festival offered a first appearance in Ukraine’s leading professional circus ring.

The pressures of wartime were visible even in the festival’s educational programme: an acrobatics masterclass was held during a blackout. The circumstances underscored the difficulties facing young artists and their teachers, from interrupted training to uncertain travel and power supplies.

Yet the festival went ahead. Its significance extended beyond the results of a competition: it brought together a professional community determined to ensure that young people can still develop their skills, find mentors and imagine a future in the performing arts.

More than a competition

Named after the Golden Gate, a historic landmark of Kyiv, the Golden Gate Cup has reached its third edition. The organisers aim to celebrate achievement without leaving any child unrecognised: all participants received commemorative diplomas and trophies, alongside the competitive prizes. A special distinction can also include an invitation to work at the National Circus of Ukraine.

Festival organiser Oksana Aheieva began her own professional career at the National Circus at 17. She sees the experience of entering its ring as potentially life-changing for a young performer.

“For me, the Golden Gate Cup is much more than a competition. It is an opportunity to make children’s dreams come true. I began my own professional journey at the National Circus of Ukraine when I was 17, so I understand very well how important it is for a young performer to step into this ring.

Today, despite the war, air-raid alerts and difficult journeys, children come to us from different parts of Ukraine. We recognise the best performers, presenting awards for technical excellence, skill and artistry. There is even a special distinction — an invitation to work at the National Circus of Ukraine. But it is essential to me that no child is left without attention. That is why every participant receives a diploma and a trophy.

The most precious thing is seeing their happy eyes and smiles. You can give a child an award, but you can also give them an emotion that will stay with them for the rest of their life. And it is here, in the ring of the National Circus of Ukraine, that these memories, new dreams and future stars of Ukrainian circus arts are born.”

— Oksana Aheieva, President of the Federation of Modern and Sports Choreography of Ukraine, Master of Sport in Sports Acrobatics, and organiser of the Golden Gate Cup.

Behind each short performance are years of practice, the work of coaches and the support of families. Keeping that training going through wartime is essential to the continuity of Ukraine’s circus arts tradition.

From Kyiv’s festival ring to international stages

Ukraine’s circus festival movement also serves as a bridge between youth training and professional careers. Festivals give performers their first experience before a specialist jury, introduce them to future colleagues and make their achievements visible to established circus institutions.

Arina Antomeniuk and Pavlyna Melnychuk, students of aerial coaches Oleh and Yuliia Pospelov, illustrate this pathway. In 2024, their aerial silks duet, Towards the Sun, won the top prize at the inaugural Golden Gate Cup.

In March 2026, they won a gold award in the Young Generation category at the first International Aerial Circus Festival of Budapest, held at the Budapest Circus. Arina now performs her solo aerial silks act, The Last Ball, in the National Circus of Ukraine’s professional production New Generation Circus. She also presented the act in Narbonne, France, at a charity event organised by the association Narbonne Ukraine.

“We were there at the beginnings of the Golden Gate Cup, and for us this is already the third festival. It is very important that, even at such a difficult time, it continues to develop and is gradually becoming a genuine Kyiv circus tradition. It is symbolic that the festival, named after one of Kyiv’s most important landmarks, takes place in the country’s leading circus ring — at the National Circus of Ukraine.

At the first festival, our duet of Arina Antomeniuk and Pavlyna Melnychuk won the top prize. Today, the girls are already performing professionally, not only in Ukraine but abroad as well. They recently performed in France, and they are planning to work at a circus in Italy over the Christmas period. Last year, our studio once again won the festival’s top award.

This shows just how important such competitions are for the development of young performers. They provide opportunities to demonstrate their skills, gain professional recognition and take a step towards an international circus career.”

— Oleh Pospelov, PhD in Performing Arts, circus arts researcher, co-founder and director of Duo Pospelov Creative Studio.

The example does not suggest that every festival entrant will become a professional artist. It shows, however, that the route from a Ukrainian training studio to an international circus career remains open — and that festivals can play a meaningful part in that journey.

A gala that brought young artists together

The festival culminated on 9 October in a 25-act gala featuring aerial acrobatics, juggling, foot juggling, illusion and other circus disciplines. Participants performed with professional lighting, sound, stage effects and a live audience — an experience markedly different from a studio or competition setting.

A particularly striking moment came at the opening, when young aerialists who had arrived with separate solo acts joined a new ensemble performance. Using aerial silks, they recreated the Ukrainian coat of arms in the circus ring.

For the National Circus’s chief director, Veronika Humarova, the artistic ambition was matched by an educational one: giving each participant an opportunity to experience professional performance conditions.

“This year, the Golden Gate Cup gala featured 25 spectacular acts across different circus disciplines — from aerial acrobatics and juggling to antipodism and illusion. We dedicated a separate section to Ukrainian themes. The opening of the gala was particularly special: we brought together young aerialists who had arrived with solo acts in a joint production in which they recreated Ukraine’s coat of arms using aerial silks.

But the most important thing for us is to give children the opportunity to feel like real professional artists. For many participants, this is their first appearance in the country’s leading circus ring. Here, they perform with professional lighting, sound and special effects, in front of a large audience. This is an entirely different experience from an ordinary competition performance. We want every child to experience the atmosphere of a major circus, believe in their own abilities and carry these emotions and memories with them for the rest of their lives.”

— Veronika Humarova, Chief Director of the National Circus of Ukraine and Honoured Artist of Ukraine.

Professionals working with the festival are observing not only the variety of acts but also a rise in standards across Ukrainian studios.

“This year, we watched 124 competition acts, and we can see how the level of skill in Ukrainian circus studios is growing. Many children take part in festivals every year, and we can follow their professional development. Behind every difficult trick is an enormous amount of work, months and years of training. At the same time, the coaches are developing too, refining their productions and looking for new creative solutions. It is particularly valuable that Ukrainian circus arts continue to develop even in difficult times.”

— Oleksandr Maibenko, choreographer and stage director at the National Circus of Ukraine.

A national forum for training, collaboration and safety

On 9 October, the National Circus also hosted the 18th All-Ukrainian Amateur Circus Arts Forum. Its programme included acrobatics masterclasses led by Natalia Solianyk and Oksana Aheieva, as well as aerial acrobatics sessions with Yuliia and Oleh Pospelov.

A roundtable brought together people working in professional circus, arts education and the studio movement to discuss training standards, artistic development and cooperation between independent studios and the National Circus of Ukraine.

Participants included Vladyslav Korniienko, Director General of the National Circus of Ukraine, Academician of the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine and Doctor of Cultural Studies; Veronika Humarova; Natalia Solianyk, Assistant to the Director General and an award-winning performer at international circus festivals; Nataliia Sukhromenda, Head of Artistic Production and recipient of the Kyiv Art Prize; and choreographer and stage director Oleksandr Maibenko.

Also taking part were Nataliia Pozdniakova, Head of the Department of Circus Disciplines at the Kyiv Municipal Academy of Variety and Circus Arts; festival organiser Oksana Aheieva; and circus arts researcher Oleh Pospelov.

Serhii Anzhyiak, Director of the Department of Culture of the Kyiv City State Administration, attended the forum and spoke about the need to build opportunities for talented young people within Ukraine.

“It is extremely important that a festival such as the Golden Gate Cup takes place in Kyiv and that young artists have the opportunity to perform in the country’s leading circus ring — at the National Circus of Ukraine. This is a place connected with the history and traditions of Ukrainian circus arts, and for many children, performing here is an important event in their lives, a first serious step towards an artistic profession.

Such festivals give children not only an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities but also invaluable experience, new prospects and motivation to keep developing. Behind every act lies an enormous amount of work — by the children themselves, their teachers, studio directors and, of course, their parents.

It is particularly valuable when organisers, the professional arts community and the leadership of the National Circus of Ukraine come together around initiatives like these. Talent alone is not enough — it is important to create the conditions in which talent can flourish. Our shared task is to support the younger generation and give them opportunities for creative and professional development here in Ukraine.”

— Serhii Anzhyiak, Director of the Department of Culture of the Kyiv City State Administration.

For young aerialists and acrobats, professional training also depends on strict technical safeguards. The National Circus emphasises equipment inspection, safety briefings and supervision during performances.

“For the National Circus of Ukraine, holding children’s festivals is not only about supporting young talent but also a great responsibility for the safety of every participant. Circus arts, particularly aerial gymnastics and acrobatics, require serious technical preparation and strict compliance with safety rules.

Before the children enter the ring, we always conduct safety briefings for group leaders and parents, monitor the height at which tricks are performed, check that protective mats are in place and ensure the equipment is in working order. Suspension systems, cables and winches undergo regular technical inspections by specialised licensed organisations.

It is a matter of principle for us that children should be able to demonstrate their skills in a professional ring under conditions where their safety is an absolute priority.”

— Natalia Solianyk, Assistant to the Director General of the National Circus of Ukraine and a prizewinner and laureate of international circus arts festivals.

A professional pathway that begins at home

The Golden Gate Cup is part of a wider calendar of events supported by the National Circus of Ukraine. The institution also hosts DyvoCircus, an international competition in circus and variety arts, and TOPFEST. Such events connect studios, educators, directors, professional artists and arts institutions across the country.

For the National Circus, opening its ring to competitions and professional gatherings is one way of supporting the next generation and strengthening the link between independent training programmes and professional circus work.

“Supporting the festival movement is part of the National Circus of Ukraine’s responsibility for the future of the Ukrainian circus school. In our ring, young performers gain experience working with large audiences and the opportunity to present their talent to the professional community. We want Ukrainian artists’ path to international recognition to begin with high-quality training and support in their own country.

It is also important that the festival primarily involves practitioners — professionals who work directly in circus education, train artists and create productions. They serve as experts, drawing not only on theoretical knowledge but also on their own professional experience. This is how an environment is formed in which young talents can learn, develop and gradually become professional circus artists.”

— Vladyslav Korniienko, Director General of the National Circus of Ukraine.

The third Golden Gate Cup has ended, but the work behind it continues in rehearsal rooms, circus studios and training halls across Ukraine. Some participants have taken their first step into a professional ring; others have added another award to their achievements. For some, the experience may become the beginning of a career.

Beyond any single performance or prize, the festival reveals the importance of maintaining cultural education and professional mentoring during war. Ukraine’s young circus artists are still training, performing and finding routes to international stages — and their country’s circus community is helping make that possible.

Photo by Artem Gusak - Golden Gate Cup 2026

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