In Finnish
Dancer and choreographer Nina Bulgakova had to leave her homeland, Ukraine, because of the war. Now she is rebuilding her life and career in Finland – and this autumn, she is doing something unique by performing for the first time together with her 20-year-old daughter, Uliana Yesaulenko.
Turning Point 1: First Steps in Motherhood and Career
Bulgakova had her daughter while she was still a 21-year-old student. With the support of her loved ones, she continued her dance studies despite the changed everyday life and graduated with a Master’s degree in Contemporary Dance from the Kharkiv State Academy of Culture. Becoming a mother taught Bulgakova about balance in life, not only on a practical level, but also philosophically.
“When you see that little baby whom you have created, the world opens up in a new way. You start to see beauty in simple things, which has influenced my point of view on life.”
Turning Point 2: Transition From Teacher and Choreographer to Dancer
When Bulgakova was 35, she moved from the role of choreographer and teacher to being one of the dancers in the Ethnic Contemporary Ballet group, which she had founded with her ex-husband. The change required finding a new kind of balance: how to switch from the working role of a choreographer to that of a performing dancer, sometimes even quickly? Bulgakova says that at times she was too harsh on herself and suffered injuries, for example, from training too hard.
Over time, she found wisdom in how to use her energy, as well as a balance between work and rest. Bulgakova says she realized that she doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone.
Turning Point 3: The Outbreak of War and Moving Abroad
When Russia invaded Ukraine, Bulgakova had to leave her hometown of Kharkiv. She first went to the Czech Republic. Continuing her work abroad was challenging and required learning a lot of new things. Soon, Bulgakova moved to Finland with two of her colleagues, and they succeeded in networking and finding work opportunities. Bulgakova believes that challenges push people forward and make them grow, even if it doesn’t always happen in a pleasant way.
“War is such a traumatic and dark experience that nothing good can be said about it. The tragic events in my homeland are still ongoing. However, the circumstances that brought me to a foreign country among new colleagues and friends gave me a chance to develop my life and career here.”
Bulgakova explains that in the Ukrainian language and culture, ‘country’ is a feminine word that symbolizes a woman and a mother. Female energy and the image of a strong woman who fights, and whose strength includes the ability to also be sensitive, are often on the artist’s mind as she works and tells stories through choreography.
The Present Moment: First Performance Together With Her Daughter
Bulgakova is currently living in the middle of the fourth turning point of her career. Her two long-time colleagues have left Finland for family reasons, which put Bulgakova in front of new challenges in early 2026. Working with new people instead of familiar ones has required courage. In moments of despair, Bulgakova has even considered giving up. With the support of her family, friends, and colleagues, she has managed to keep moving forward.
This autumn, Bulgakova is performing for the first time together with her now-adult daughter in a new version of the award-winning piece FERTILITY. The artist gets chills describing what it feels like to collaborate with Uliana, who is now taking her first steps as a professional alongside her mother. The duo strives to keep their work in rehearsals professional – even though Bulgakova can never stop being her daughter’s mother. She gets emotional while scrolling through videos from rehearsals.
photographed in Kyiv in 2023 by Darina Rodionova.
“I remember when she was a sweet little baby 20 years ago, and now she is dancing with me.”
For the future, Bulgakova wishes for harmony, balance, and peace in her own life, in her homeland, and in the whole world.
Writer: Noora Kääriäinen
AI assisted with the translation of the text
FERTILITY on 20.11. & 2.12. 19.00 in Malmi at Teatteri Tuike.TICKETS
Tickets in advance online or at the door, if there is room.
