In 2014, Volodymyr Kovshov moved from occupied Donetsk to the Ukrainian town of Bakhmut, where he was the head of an exemplary amateur sports dance ensemble, Allegro. Classes were held at the Martynov Center for Culture and Leisure, which was the center of the city's cultural life before the full-scale invasion.
Today, the center has been completely burned out by Russian bombardment, along with the costumes that were sewn by the students themselves for the performances. The full-scale invasion forced the teacher to evacuate again, this time to Dnipro. It was here that he came up with the idea to revive the sports dance training.
Now, at the Dnipro Regional Library for Children, Volodymyr Kovshov and his wife conduct choreography classes that not only unleash the creative potential of children but also contribute to their harmonious development: physical, emotional, and social.
Allegro's students still win prizes at competitions of various levels. And the Bakhmut team includes not only Bakhmut residents, but also residents of Dnipro, Volnovakha, and Donetsk. The youngest member, according to the coach, is five years old, and the oldest is about fifty.
Volodymyr Kovshov organizes and conducts dance festivals, Latin American and sports dance workshops for children and adults, works as a judge at competitions, and in between training he still manages to study at a conversation club.
"Art has no borders, it unites, inspires and gives hope," says the coach.
Volodymyr and his wife still hope to return to their hometown after the de-occupation and see the blue, peaceful sky over Donetsk region again
The Ukrainian people are hardworking and unbreakable!
Together to Victory!