Oleksandra Paskal Presents Her “Dance of Freedom” in Times Square in New York

Oleksandra continues her international Dance of Freedom tour, supported by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation and FC Shakhtar.

The young gymnast presented her dance in the heart of New York — in Times Square, where thousands of people from all over the world gather every day. Through her performance, the girl tells the story of the strength, dreams, and resilience of Ukrainian children through dance. This event became another important stop on her international tour, aimed at drawing the world’s attention to Ukraine.

“New York really impressed me. There are tall buildings, lots of people, and a very interesting atmosphere here. I am glad that I was able to perform here and tell people about Ukraine. This is very important to me,” the girl shared.

Sasha’s visit to the United States was packed with events. Oleksandra met with UN representatives and spoke about how the russian-Ukrainian war has changed her life and how Ukrainian children and civilians suffer from russian shelling every day.

During the global Dance of Freedom tour, Oleksandra Paskal met with Ukrainian and world boxing legend Oleksandr Usyk. The outstanding athlete spoke with the girl, praising her incredible strength of spirit and true sporting character.

“When I saw this dance in Paris, the first thing I thought was: this girl has a very strong heart and character, which help her move forward. I am sure that everything will be great for you. The main thing is not to stop and keep working. Foundations like Rinat Leonidovych’s Foundation, just like mine, work to help civilians, military personnel, and everyone who needs this assistance,” Oleksandr Usyk said during the meeting.

An emotional part of Oleksandra’s trip was attending the FIFA World Cup final. She watched the decisive match and the award ceremony for the new world champions — the Spanish national team — live. The atmosphere in the stadium, thousands of fans, and the triumph of the world’s best footballers gave the young gymnast unforgettable impressions and inspiration for her own sporting achievements.

Sasha’s next stops include performances and meetings on new continents: July 23 — Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), July 27 — Nairobi (Kenya), and July 31 — Tokyo (Japan). In each of these cities, the young gymnast will present a special dance performance at iconic locations.

The Dance of Freedom project is implemented by the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation with the support of FC Shakhtar to mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence. Its goal is to draw the international community’s attention, through Oleksandra’s story, to Ukrainian children whose lives have been forever changed by the war, and to show their strength, resilience, and determination to live.

In May 2022, Oleksandra’s life was changed by a russian missile strike on the Odesa region — the girl lost a leg. Following extensive treatment and rehabilitation, she returned to rhythmic gymnastics, resumed training with a prosthetic leg and once again began competing in international tournaments. Today, Oleksandra is a symbol of resilience for thousands of Ukrainians.