Ukraine's own 'Dancing with the Stars' is back on for a special episode with wartime heroes

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Before the war, Ukraine’s own “Dancing with the Stars” was a cherished and popular television show, dazzling the audiences with performances by celebrities and professional dancers. The show is now back on for one special episode — this time with Ukrainian wartime heroes as the stars, underscoring the nation's resilience in difficult times.

Many still remember how President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — then an actor — won the dance competition in 2006, the year that “Tantsi z zirkamy” as the show is known in Ukrainian, first debuted.

In the new, special episode, the dancers perform with prosthetic limbs, showcasing their strength in overcoming adversity. The lineup of participants includes public figures who rose to prominence since Russia's full-out war on Ukraine was launched in February 2022.

But like all of present-day Ukraine, the show — which is part of an international franchise — has had to deal with a multitude of wartime challenges, including frequent power outages.

All the proceeds will go to the Superhumans Center, a specialist clinic for the treatment and rehabilitation of war-wounded victims.

During a prerecording last week, dancers spun, leapt and glided under the sparkle of lights, some seamlessly integrating their prosthetic limbs into the choreography.

For creative producer Volodymyr Zavadiuk, every segment of the show is precious, creating something special during tough times.

“It’s about our resilience and it’s about our future,” said Zavadiuk, who also heads Big Brave Events and the Big Entertainment Shows department at 1+1 Media.

Among the performers was Ruslana Danilkina, a war veteran who lost her leg in combat in 2022 and is now renowned in Ukraine for dedicating herself to helping injured troops adapt to life with prosthetics.

She delivered a passionate performance centered on reclaiming her womanhood following the traumatic injury.

Also back in the show is beloved dancer Dmytro Dikusar, this time as a competition judge. He juggled filming and serving with his platoon on the front lines.

Ukrainian rock musician Yevhen Halych sat in the makeup chair ahead of his number, reflecting on his own determination to bring back the show.

“We are filming this project in a country where there is a war. ... We have power cuts, we may have an air alert, it could be bombing," he said. "What do I feel? I feel a genuine desire to live a full life, no matter what happens.”

Producing the show's special episode has been no easy feat in time of war. A live broadcast was impossible — a Russian attack can happen at any time. Then there were the technical obstacles: during last week's recording, a key generator malfunctioned.

When the show airs on Sunday, audiences will vote for their favorite.

Danilkina, who was only 18 years old when she lost her leg and who today works at the Superhumans Center, enthralled everyone with her passionate performance, her prosthetic limb artfully integrated into her routine.

“Our dance number is about life. It’s about accepting love," she told The Associated Press after her performance. "Because in reality, when your body is wounded, it’s very difficult to love yourself. And allowing someone else to love you is even harder.”

Her injury was not the end of her life, she said, and now she wants to show “thousands of wounded boys and girls who are starting their lives over again” that it's not the end of theirs.

For veteran Ivan Voinov and his wife of three months, Solomiia, the show was more than just a dance performance: it was the second time they had danced together since his injury, the first time was at their wedding.

Solomiia Voinov smiled shyly, recounting how she had long tried to persuade Ivan that they should dance until he gave in.

“We don’t take our eyes off each other while dancing, and it’s a great connection,” she said. “I’m happy.”

Voinov said he was already planning their next dance — a bachata, a fast-paced, hip-swaying style of dance that originated in the Dominican Republic.

“We will be able to continue dancing," he said. "It means that there is a future.”

Alex Babenko in Kyiv contributed to this report.

CORRECTS NAME TO RUSLANA DANILKINA - Volunteer soldier Ruslana Danilkina, 21, who lost her leg in Russia-Ukraine war, and choreographer Pavlo Semakin perform during the shooting of the Christmas TV show ''Dancing with the Stars'' in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

CORRECTS NAME TO RUSLANA DANILKINA - Volunteer soldier Ruslana Danilkina, 21, who lost her leg in the Russia-Ukraine war, and choreographer Pavlo Semakin perform during the shooting of the Christmas TV show ''Dancing with the Stars'' in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

A ballet dancer warms up during the shooting of the Christmas TV show ''Dancing with the Stars'' during blackout hours caused by Russia's regular air attacks on the country's energy objects in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Volunteer soldier Rusya Danylkina, 21, who lost her leg in Russia-Ukraine war, and choreographer Pavlo Semakin perform during the shooting of the Christmas TV show ''Dancing with the Stars'' in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Well-known Ukrainian dancer Dmytro Dikusar and now serving as a soldier with his platoon on the front lines performs during the shooting of the Christmas TV show ''Dancing with the Stars'' in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Well-known Ukrainian artists perform during the shooting of the Christmas TV show ''Dancing with the Stars'' in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Volunteer soldier Rusya Danylkina, 21, who lost her leg in Russia-Ukraine war, and choreographer Pavlo Semakin perform during the shooting of the Christmas TV show ''Dancing with the Stars'' in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are holding near their record levels and Treasury yields are rising in the bond market Tuesday after the government reported that the U.S. economy grew at a surprisingly strong pace in the third quarter.

The S&P 500 rose 0.1% and is just below the all-time high it set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 4 points, or less than 0.1%, as of 9:54 a.m. Eastern. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.1%.

A majority of stocks with the S&P 500 were losing ground, but the market was being bolstered by several big technology stocks. Nvidia rose 0.5% and Google's parent company, Alphabet, rose 1.5%. They are among several companies with outsized valuations that tend to have more impact on the broader market's direction.

Novo Nordisk jumped 9.7% after U.S. regulators approved a pill version of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, the first daily oral medication to treat obesity.

Wall Street is getting the latest economic updates during an otherwise quiet holiday-shortened week. Markets in the U.S. will close early Wednesday for Christmas Eve and remain closed for Christmas on Thursday.

The U.S. economy grew at a 4.3% annual rate during the third quarter. That builds on 3.8% growth during the second quarter and marks a sharp turnaround from the first quarter, when the U.S. economy shrank for the first time in three years.

The latest report also showed that stubborn inflation continues to hover over the economy. The Fed’s favored inflation gauge — called the personal consumption expenditures index, or PCE — climbed to a 2.8% annual pace last quarter, up from 2.1% in the second quarter.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.20% from 4.15% just before the report on gross domestic product for the third quarter was released. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely tracks expectations for Federal Reserve actions, rose to 3.56% from 3.49% just prior to the report’s release.

Markets were mixed in Asia and Europe.

Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

Anthony Matesic works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Trader Jonathan Mueller works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Trader William Lawrence works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Walmart is displayed on the facade of the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dealer works near the screens showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), left, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A person walks in front of an electronic stock board showing the market indexes of Shanghai, Tokyo and New York Dow at a securities firm Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A dealer watches computer monitors at a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)