The Story of Oleksandr Zhavnenko: From the Battlefield to the Ballroom
Before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Oleksandr Zhavnenko’s life revolved around movement and music. He danced in the folk ensemble Mriya, and it was there that he met Marichka, his future wife and creative partner. Dance was never just a hobby, it shaped their relationship, their shared dreams, and eventually became the emotional symbol of their reunion.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion on February 24, Oleksandr first supported the Defense Forces as a volunteer. After the birth of their daughter, he made the decision to mobilize and joined the Azov Brigade, where he served as a drone operator. In October 2024, nearly a year into his service, he sustained a severe combat injury that resulted in the loss of both lower limbs.
In the hospital, the future felt uncertain, shortly after his injury, Marichka came to see him, carrying their baby daughter in her arms. She told him: “We will stand on our feet again, and we will dance together.”
Those words became more than encouragement, they became a promise and a direction.
Rehabilitation was slow and demanding, but with Levitate prosthetics, Oleksandr began relearning independence step by step. One of his first major victories was walking ten meters without support. Each movement required focus, patience, and trust in a body that felt unfamiliar. But the emotional breakthrough came when he realized he would not only walk again, he would be able to dance.
Their first performance after the injury took place in the grand ballroom of the House of Scientists. Oleksandr and Marichka chose the same music that had played at their wedding. Dance had once brought them together. After the war, it brought them back to each other again. The moment was not about spectacle. It was about reclaiming identity, partnership, and dignity.
Fatherhood has become one of the strongest drivers in Oleksandr’s recovery, he often says that being present, involved, and active in his daughter’s life is essential. Using his prosthetics, he has already climbed in the Ukrainian Carpathians twice within the “Second Wind” initiative, tried rafting for the first time, and continued traveling and challenging himself physically. Recovery, for him, is not about returning to who he was, but expanding who he can be.
Together with Marichka, he also realized another shared dream: opening their own dance studio. The process required negotiations, financial decisions, construction work, and persistence. Rather than breaking them, it strengthened their partnership. Today, Marichka leads as organizer, teacher, and choreographer, while Oleksandr manages technical and operational responsibilities, maintaining and developing the space. For him, this work is proof that life after injury can still mean responsibility, contribution, and creation.
Oleksandr Zhavnenko’s journey is about identity restored, partnership preserved, active fatherhood, dignity, and full participation in society. In many ways, dance is simply the metaphor, the deeper story is about standing again and choosing, every day, to keep moving forward.
