As Russia continues to escalate its attacks on Ukraine, a ballet company founded 10 years ago in Kyiv is touring the United States for the first time, calling for peace.

When the Russian invasion started in February, Kyiv City Ballet was in France performing its version of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" with a large cast of dancers including apprentices on their first tour. Those apprentices are currently on the U.S. tour.

"Now they have the opportunity to work with the stars," artistic director Ivan Kozlov said.

KCB embodies a young attitude as many of the dancers are under the age of 20. For that reason, Kozlov and associate director Ekaterina Kozlova have "taken the dancers under their wing and really cared for them," said Francine Sheffield, a partner in Rhizome Arts Consulting, which is representing the ballet company in this tour.

"Their artistry is top-notch," said Sheffield. "What I find unique about them is that, maybe because of the circumstances, they have become a big family. The way they work together is so inspiring."

The trip hasn't always been smooth. The dancers missed their first flight from Paris, leaving them a bit frazzled. But "they pretty much had to hit the ground running as soon as they got to North Carolina," Sheffield said.

When the troupe reached Suffolk, Va., it was welcomed with messages expressing gratitude and well wishes in notecards decorated with the Ukrainian flag. And that support has continued as KCB makes its way through the United States. Audiences show up dressed in blue and gold — Ukraine's national colors and waving the country's flag.

The colors and spirit will be displayed in Minneapolis, too, when KCB stops at the Northrop auditorium on Wednesday. Northrop has distributed just over 300 free tickets for the Ukrainian refugees in the Twin Cities to attend the show and will provide two buses to drive them from the Ukrainian Center. Many of them will be accompanied by their sponsors.

Among the refugees looking forward to the KCB performance is Irynka Petrus, a volunteer at the Ukrainian American Community Center, which is helping to distribute the tickets. She arrived in Minnesota four months ago with her 5-year-old daughter after stops in Texas, New Hampshire and Vermont.

"It has been emotional being so far away, but you can be connected to your culture. I have tears already thinking about it," said Petrus. "Even in the darkest night, the sun comes up the next morning, even in this difficult situation. We still have so many positive outcomes, like the generosity shown worldwide."

Kozlov said support has come from everywhere — off stage, onstage and backstage, and from directors, to the technical staff, to the wardrobe people. It began when KCB was in France on its "Nutcracker" tour. Unable to return to their home country, the dancers have been living as refugees in Paris.

"Basically, we had no choice," Kozlov said.

Vladyslav Dobshynskyi, who created the modern piece “Thoughts,” stands amid other dancers from Kyiv City Ballet. (Julia Nash/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

KCB is now a resident of the historic Théatre du Chatelet in Paris. Mayor Anne Hidalgo Aleu has said that the theater-cum-opera house would be the company's new base for as long as needed. "They even helped us with the costumes when we needed to perform around France," Kozlov said.

In the past, KCB has performed with as many as 65 dancers. But some have joined their families and some have moved to other countries. Currently, it's touring with 28 artists.

"Our goal is to show the Ukrainian spirit and resilience. The show must go on, whatever happens," Kozlov said.

The Northrop performance will include "Tribute to Peace" by Kozlov and Kozlova, set to music by Edward Elgar. The contemporary piece features seven couples, each with a different sort of problem, and how they help each other to solve those problems.

"It's kind of a story of one street, one city. It has a sense of humor as well," said Kozlov. "The idea of this work is to stay away from war and to show that good things can happen without it."

The troupe also will perform a suite of a classical ballet style, with excerpts from traditional works like "La Bayadère" and "Don Quixote."

Also in the program is a modern piece called "Thoughts" created by Vladyslav Dobshynskyi, who also dances in the lead role. Maryna Apanasenko, who is the other lead dancer, is Dobshynskyi's primary "thought."

"Basically he tried to create a performance about what happens in a human's head when you have a goal, and you really have an idea to do something and how other thoughts stand in your way," Kozlov explained.

Performed in socks rather than ballet shoes, the looser dance style helps her to express her inner emotions while embodying the music, Apanasenko said. She uses dance as a language and a way to communicate even when times are rough.

"This art for me is my life," she said.

Kozlov would like to eventually return to Ukraine. "We are waiting to go back as soon as possible, as soon as it's safe," he said. "We are dreaming of it every day."

Kyiv City Ballet

When: 7:30 p.m. Wed.

Where: Northrop, 84 SE. Church St., Mpls.

Tickets: $50-$87, 612-624-2345, Northrop.umn.edu