DEPEW, NY (WKBW) — At a fitness studio in Depew off George Urban Boulevard, a Ukrainian refugee woman can be found each Sunday teaching young children’s rhythmic gymnastics in a program she calls 7 Elephants of Western New York.
As the Russian war against Ukraine rages on in her country, she's finding solace in teaching children a sport she mastered in Ukraine.
Our 7 News Senior Reporter Eileen Buckley met with the teacher and her students to capture her story.
“Side by side,” instructs Oleksandra Klimantova. “My kind of gymnastics is not popular in the United States. Rhythmic gymnastics is one of the most popular sports in Ukraine."
Ukrainian athlete and educator Oleksandra Klimantova tells me she left her war-torn country and arrived here in Western New York three years ago.
"How difficult has it been to leave your country and then come here and restart yourself?” Buckley asked. “Oh, it was very difficult; at one night, we lost everything,” Klimantova recalled. “The first day we lost like, first we lost our power, gas and water, then we lost our home.”
Lost everything, but not her spirit. She’s now teaching the art of rhythmic gymnastics. Something she started at the age of five. She's connected with our local Ukrainian community, teaching children aged 4 to 7 years old.
"Most of them are Ukrainians. Some of them were born here in the U.S., and some of them came a few years ago,” Klimantova explained.
"I like to have fun and do obstacle courses and jump rope and do stuff like,” declared Victoria, a student.
7-year-old Victoria, her four-year-old sister Natasha and a girl named Ana all tell me they love this class.
"What's your favorite part?” Buckley questioned. “Uhm, the hoop,” Natasha replied.
“What do you like about taking this gymnastics class?” Buckley asked.“Uhm, to do the bridge,” Ana responded.
Rhythmic gymnastics emphasizes athletic skills and artistry, where students perform with ropes, hoops and ribbons.
For now, these young girls are learning an Olympic sport from a woman who has been awarded more than 150 medals, making her a master of sports in her country.
“I practice a lot, and then, yeah, I get a lot of medals and diplomas,” Klimantova remarked. “The most graceful and beautiful Olympic sport.”
Oleksandra says she hopes to one day visit Ukraine to see relatives and friends left behind, but tells me she would like to continue living in the U.S. because she feels safe.
With the current peace agreement and cease-fire between Israel and Gaza, Klimantova tells me it gives her a little sense of hope that maybe things could change for her country.
“Does that leave you any hope that something can finally be reached for your country?” Buckley questioned. “We hope so every day, we pray for that and really hope so every day we watch the news and Ukrainian and American and really just pray and hope.”
