On October 8 and 9, 2026, the National Circus of Ukraine in Kyiv hosted the third Golden Gate Cup, an all-Ukrainian festival co-organized with the Federation of Modern and Sports Choreography. The event brought together 124 competition acts and a 25-act gala from students in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Poltava, Zhytomyr, Berdychiv, Brovary, Boryspil, Irpin, and the Zolochiv community. Participants ranged from children younger than seven to performers aged 18, competing in aerial acrobatics, floor acrobatics, balancing, contortion, and juggling. Russian attacks on energy infrastructure caused electricity disruptions in parts of Kyiv on October 9, making power outages and air-raid alerts part of daily life for training centres. An acrobatics masterclass proceeded during a blackout, underscoring the difficulties facing young artists and their teachers regarding interrupted training and uncertain travel. Festival organizer Oksana Aheieva began her career at the National Circus at age 17 and views the ring as a life-changing environment. "For me, the Golden Gate Cup is much more than a competition," she stated. "It is an opportunity to make children’s dreams come true." Every participant received commemorative diplomas and trophies, ensuring no child was left unrecognized. A special distinction includes an invitation to work at the National Circus of Ukraine.
The festival also functions as a bridge to international professional careers. Arina Antomeniuk and Pavlyna Melnychuk won the top prize at the inaugural Golden Gate Cup in 2024 with their aerial silks duet, "Towards the Sun". In March 2026, they won a gold award in the Young Generation category at the first International Aerial Circus Festival of Budapest. Arina now performs her solo act, "The Last Ball", in the National Circus production "New Generation Circus" and recently presented it in Narbonne, France. Their coach, Oleh Pospelov, notes that the girls are planning to work at a circus in Italy over the Christmas period. "This shows just how important such competitions are for the development of young performers," Pospelov said. The festival culminated on October 9 with a 25-act gala featuring professional lighting, sound, and stage effects. At the opening, young aerialists who arrived with separate solo acts joined a new ensemble performance to recreate the Ukrainian coat of arms using aerial silks. Chief Director Veronika Humarova emphasized the goal of giving each participant an opportunity to experience professional performance conditions. "We want every child to experience the atmosphere of a major circus," Humarova explained. "We want them to believe in their own abilities and carry these emotions and memories with them for the rest of their lives." On the same day, the National Circus hosted the 18th All-Ukrainian Amateur Circus Arts Forum. The programme included acrobatics masterclasses led by Natalia Solianyk and Oksana Aheieva, plus aerial sessions with the Pospelovs. A roundtable discussed training standards and cooperation between independent studios and the National Circus. Serhii Anzhyiak, Director of the Department of Culture of the Kyiv City State Administration, attended and spoke about building opportunities for talented young people within Ukraine. "Talent alone is not enough," Anzhyiak said. "It is important to create the conditions in which talent can flourish." Safety remains a strict priority; suspension systems, cables, and winches undergo regular technical inspections by specialized licenced organizations before children enter the ring.
