Biography:
Gian Marco Benedetto (La Spezia, Italy 1986) is an independent photojournalist and videographer based in Barcelona, known for his work on human rights and identity through long-term projects and journalistic reportage. He is a member of...
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Focus:Photographer, Photojournalist, Journalist, Researcher, Reporter, Politics, Travel, Documentary, Multimedia, News, Photography, Author, International News, Arts & Culture, Freelance, Civil Rights and Social Inequality, Humanitarian, Impact, Assignments
Moldova, March 2022 - Ukrainian kid Margo (9), who fled from Odessa, is seen at a touristic complex picnic garden with a friend and a dog. The complex was closed during pandemic after it was opened 4 days later Russia started its attacks on Ukraine so the owners decided to help the civilians those who fled Ukraine with providing food, medical service and shelter.
Moldova, March 2022 - Due to Russian attacks Margo 9 years old from Odesa trains dance online with her grandmother Svetlana who also broadcast the lesson sharing the screen with others girls as Ukrainian refugees leave their homes to take shelter in Costesti, Moldova on March 29, 2022.
Moldova, March 2022 -Margo dance in the turistic complex which is owned by George Diaconu, Veronica Bivol and George Diaconu jr and assists 300 civilians fled from Ukraine due to Russian attacks on Ukraine In war-torn regions, educators face immense challenges in fulfilling their duties.
Ukraine, December 2022 - A Svetlana Antipova Ballet School is the only school in Odessa licensed to perform at the Odesa Opera Theatre. Due to the war, many children and young people are missing. The school of S. Antipova has been performing various works of its repertoire for over twenty years (the Nutcracker - currently forbidden because Tchaikovsky's music cannot be performed -, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, the Little Mermaid ).
Ukraine, December 2022 - Oleksii watch her daughter Margo dancing in Odesa in the scenario before the performance. Margo is the granddaughter of S. Antipova, Oleksii’s mather, and Margo is the protagonist of the ballet because the dancer who performed for mounths is missing, Margo studied her role for a month after training online from Moldova where she spent a period from February to August with her mother Veronika and her brother Dimitri.
Ukraine, December 2022 -Svetlana gives to Margot her last advices. Since a month, the school had been notified of the scheduling of the show and despite the limited time available, the children demonstrated that they had successfully completed the one-and-a-half-hour show. The theatre was full.
Ukraine, December 2022 -The wolf (Andrei) comes from Kherson where he graduated in choreography at the Kherson institute and like many of the dancers this is his first time performing live with Margo.
Ukraine, December 2022 - Margot alone on the stage, portraying the lead role of the first ballerina in "Little Red Riding Hood," a children's ballet in two acts based on the fairy tale by Charles Perrault. The performance is accompanied by a soundtrack featuring compositions by Adolf Adan, Ludwig van Beethoven, Giuseppe Verdi, Charles Gounod, Paul Mauriat, Gioacchino Rossini, and Johann Strauss. However, due to the war in Ukraine, the use of Tchaikovsky's music in the soundtrack is prohibited.
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Private Story
Dance of resilience
Copyright
Gian Marco Benedetto
2024
Updated Mar 2024
Amidst the chaos of war in Ukraine, emerges a tale of bravery and determination embodied by Margo, a 10-year-old ballerina. Leaving her home in Odesa with her mother and her brother in search of refuge in Moldova, Margo faced uncertainty and fear, but never relinquished her dream of returning home and to dance to the stage at the Odesa Opera Theater.Guided by the lessons of her grandmother and mentor, Svetlana Antipova, a legendary figure in Odesa's ballet scene, Margo continued to hone her craft even through video calls amidst the war. Despite the challenges, her determination and passion for dance never wavered.Finally, after months of separation and preparation, Margo returned triumphantly to Odesa, where she had the opportunity to stay back together with her father and grndma and to shine as the lead ballerina on the stage she cherished. Her performance was more than just a ballet spectacle; it was an act of resistance and hope amidst the conflict.Margo's journey from refuge to the stage of the Odesa Opera Theater is a touching testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of art to transcend borders and heal the wounds of war. Her story inspires all those who struggle for their dreams amidst adversity, reminding us that even in the darkest of times, the light of art can shine brightly.