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STORY: Practicing their plies and pirourettes in downtown Berlin...

many of these ballerinas have been through hell.

Having fled the horrors of war in Ukraine.

They’ve recently been welcomed into the fold of Berlin's main ballet company, by prima ballerina Iana Salenko.

“They want just to give up, they don’t know how to go on with this situation, so and of course I feel like if I can help, it makes me happy.”

The Kyiv born dancer, who has been in the German capital since 2005, has worked tirelessly over the last month to help those in need continue with their training.

“They are really happy, they are just thankful for everything what I can do and what I could help and I feel this really love, like ‘Oh really thank you, I thought I would never come back’. When they have a chance to connect with the people or coming here to do the class and it feels like I did my job. And of course, it’s just little job but I feel this happiness.”

But it’s not just Ukrainian dancers who are looking for a position at the Berlin State Ballet.

Dancers from other countries, including Russia, are also keen to join the ensemble.

According to ballet dramaturg Christiane Theobald, the Berlin opera prides itself on being a melting pot of global talent.

“We have many, many nationalities here and we have an important duty to ensure Russia-phobia doesn’t emerge and that we continue to value each other just as before, as we carry on. “

Together Theobald and Salenko are not only helping the displaced ballerinas with accommodation, ballet shoes and a practice space.

They are also trying to get the dancers auditions at ballet companies abroad or in other fields such as the opera.