Choreographer and winner of the "Dancing with the Stars" TV project, Olena Shoptenko, has announced the launch of her авторські (author's) dance and therapeutic masterclasses called Hush! Dance Therapy for Ukrainians across Europe. The project is charitable and is being held in collaboration with the "Tvoya opora" (Your Support) Foundation. A portion of the ticket proceeds will be directed to support the "Tvoya opora" Shelter in Lviv.

In an interview with "Breakfast with 1+1," Olena shared that the idea for dance therapy was born after one of the flash mobs in support of Ukraine in Vienna:

"After the flash mob, a woman approached me in tears and said, 'Olena, you don't understand what you've done for us. We are from Mariupol, and my 14-year-old daughter closed herself off after the evacuation, almost stopped talking, and wouldn't leave her room. On top of that, the child faced bullying at the Viennese school. I literally dragged her to the flash mob, she attended rehearsals, started getting involved in the process, met other Ukrainians, opened up, and started smiling again. Thanks to the dances, you brought my child back to me.' Then I realized that the project had become not just an expression of my position, but a kind of dancing out of pain, a healing process."

The story can be viewed via the link.

Over the year, Olena deeply studied the topic of dance therapy, which has long been popular in Austria: she consulted with various specialists, read specialized literature, and, combining new knowledge with her ¹ own many years of experience, created an авторська (author's) program together with Anna Tilnyak, who became a partner and producer of the project.  

"Our emotions and feelings live in the body. And dance is the oldest form of their expression. Suppressed emotions 'get stuck' inside a person and form emotional and muscular blocks. Dance helps to express accumulated emotions, thereby freeing not only the body but also the head and soul. Having experience in professional dance, I know that each dance has its own unique character, evoking this or that emotion. My goal is to teach people to feel it while performing a particular dance and, within this framework, to release their own emotions. Dance therapy can help women bring their emotional state into balance and continue to enjoy life. This is necessary, among other things, so that children are calm. After all, we know that when a mother is in a balanced state, it is transmitted to the child and vice versa," says Olena.

The presentation of Olena Shoptenko's dance and therapeutic project Hush! Dance Therapy will take place in Vienna on September 2, 2023. All proceeds from the presentation will be donated to the "Prykhystok" (Shelter) project of the "Tvoya Opora" Charitable Foundation, which has been operating since March 6, 2022, and is the largest official shelter in Lviv. The shelter provides IDPs with temporary housing, comprehensive psycho-emotional and social support, and helps them integrate into the community.

"Olena recently held a dance and therapeutic masterclass for women and children at our 'Prykhystok.' They all have difficult stories. For example, one of the women, having buried her husband in the yard of their house, barely escaped from Mariupol with two children and nothing else. She is still recovering, trying to return to normal life. During the masterclass, her face shone. Our task as a foundation that maintains a shelter for IDPs is not only to provide shelter and help with treatment but also to help people psychologically. This is very important for them to continue living. That is why Olena's project is so timely. On the one hand, it helps Ukrainian women abroad find their emotional support, and on the other hand, the funds from the project help Ukrainian women at home," says Valeria Tatarchuk, head of the "Tvoya Opora" Foundation.

More details about the project can be found on the Instagram page. You can join with a donation to support the Shelter now on the Foundation's website.