Oleksandr Garbarchuk, Honored Artist of Ukraine and soloist with the Dance Theater of Life, has died
On the night of July 21, Oleksandr Garbarchuk, principal dancer of the “Life” Dance Theater and Honored Artist of Ukraine, passed away. He had been battling cancer for a long time.
Singer Ruslana Lyzhychko announced the artist’s death. According to her, Garbarchuk was her closest friend and had performed alongside her on stage for many years. Together, they toured dozens of countries, gave hundreds of concerts, and represented Ukraine at the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, where the song “Wild Dances” brought the country its first victory in the contest’s history.
“Last night, my closest friend passed away… And this is a moment that is very difficult to get through. Our Sashko Garbarchuk has left us… No words can describe what he means to me. A friend with whom I traveled the world, with whom I gave hundreds, if not thousands, of concerts, who stood with me on the Eurovision stage…,” Ruslana wrote.
The singer also expressed her condolences to the artist’s family and remembered him as a sincere, talented, and dedicated person.
“Authentic, boundless, cheerful, sincere, talented, patriotic, energetic, inspired—that’s who he was, and that’s how he will forever remain in our hearts. My heart goes out to his wife Nadiya, his children, his brother, and his entire family. This is an irreparable loss for all of us, and for the ballet company of the “Zhyttia” Dance Theater,” she noted.
It is known that Oleksandr Garbarchuk had been battling stomach cancer for a long time. During this period, colleagues and friends repeatedly organized fundraisers for his treatment.
Oleksandr Garbarchuk was a soloist with the “Zhyttia” Dance Theater and a member of Ruslana’s team, which represented Ukraine at the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Wild Dances.” That was the first time Ukraine had won the international song contest.
Ruslana wrote about this on her Facebook page on July 21.
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