The Ukrainian diaspora in New York City protested the Empire Open Dance Festival in Jersey City because of the participation of judges with direct ties to the Russian regime. Despite the protests and an open letter from the U.S. dance community demanding the removal of these judges, the festival organizers decided not to remove the scandalous judges.
This was reported by the organizers of the demonstration to Svitanok.nyc.
According to the organizers, the judges involved in the festival are members of the Russian Dance Union in the occupied Ukrainian territories and receive benefits from Gazprom. Russian dancers also participated in the competition.
"Three judges with direct ties to the Russian regime were selected to participate in the Empire Open Dance Festival in Jersey City. These judges participate in Kremlin-sponsored events, are members of the state-run Russian Dance Union in the occupied Ukrainian territories, and receive benefits from Gazprom", according to Svitanok.nyc.
Russian dancers are also participating in the competition, but the festival organizers believe that art should be outside the war.
"Despite the obvious evidence of their complicity, the organizers claim that 'art has nothing to do with war'. Art is not outside of politics", the organizers insist.
More than three hundred members of the American dance community signed an open letter demanding that people associated with the Russian regime be removed from the judging panel at the Empire Open Dance Festival. However, the festival's organizers ignored these calls, causing outrage in the Ukrainian diaspora and among some members of the American public.