Throughout the last century, ballet has been used by Russia as a form of political propaganda and an expression of “soft power." When Russian forces took control of Mariupol and Kharkiv, they bombed the theaters, operas, and museums—targeting and killing artists. As Russia tries to erase the culture of Ukraine, ballet once again takes center stage as a lynchpin of international politics and resistance in Eastern Europe. How do these dancers navigate their choice to leave their homeland or to stay under a blanket of rocket fire? As prima ballerina Khrystyna Shyshpor asks, “If everyone leaves, who will stay and dance?”

Dancers who have remained find themselves performing in between air raid sirens and bombings. For those who traded the stage for the front lines, picking up arms to defend their country, some have paid with their lives. Others chose to take refuge abroad, where they could continue their dreams and share their culture with the world. Through unprecedented access to these dancers and their brave resistance, this film tells the remarkable story of how these individuals are fighting to keep the heart and soul of Ukraine alive.