The Contemporary Dance Platform was founded in 2010 with the launch of Zelyonka FEST, an international contemporary dance festival in Kyiv. What began as a one-night event presenting Ukrainian choreographers quickly evolved into a long-term platform for professional contemporary dance. In 2011 the festival gained international status, inviting companies from Latvia and Belarus. From 2010 to 2019, Zelyonka was held annually and became the largest contemporary dance event in Ukraine, supporting artistic production, professional exchange, and audience development. Alongside the festival, the organization developed year-round activities, including the ARTIL educational program for young choreographers, national dance platforms, residencies, international collaborations, and workshops by established artists, producing an average of 3–5 major events per year. Following the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the organization shifted its focus toward supporting Ukrainian choreographers abroad and reconnecting the Ukrainian dance community across borders. Education and documentation became key priorities, including the YouTube channel “Let the Body Speak,” which presents works created by Ukrainian choreographers between 2022 and 2025. Today, the Contemporary Dance Platform functions as a transnational network responding to displacement, rupture, and the ongoing transformation of contemporary dance practices.
