LANSING - On April 10, the Greater Lansing Ballet Company performed a benefit show for Ukraine.

This performance consisted of the Greater Lansing Ballet Company, Oakland Dance Company, and multiple guest musical performances. All funds raised went to organizations helping Ukraine.

The idea for this show became a reality because of two families within the company who have relatives still in Ukraine.

Anastasia Babayan, part of one of the two families, helped create and choreograph this benefit.

Babayan said, “We wanted to do something,” she continued, “We went up to our director and asked if we could put on a show, not even a benefit concert, just to raise awareness about the situation and this is what it is now.”

Babayan created her pieces based on reactions to what is occurring in Ukraine.

She said, “It’s very painful to see how many people are being affected, how many are dying. This gives us an opportunity to pour out those emotions and say how we feel.”

Jim McEwan and Kailen Berry are the creators of this benefit and are very happy their students and parents of their students came to them with this idea.

Berry said, “What’s going on with Ukraine is just heartbreaking, to see all the families in need there and what they’re going through. We actually have two families that have connections to Ukraine right now. When everything started to happen those moms came to us, and we just jumped on it and decided to make a benefit show.”

Even though the performance is over, donations are still being accepted.