Dance for Justice Coalition

08/15/2025

Official Statement from Dance for Justice

On the verge of the upcoming U.S.–Russia summit in Anchorage, Alaska, Russian state propaganda has released a reel allegedly portraying “long-standing friendship and cooperation” between the two countries. Notably, the reel features a ballroom dance couple dressed in the national colors of the United States and Russia, performing a Viennese Waltz against the backdrop of historical events.

The use of ballroom dance as a centerpiece in this propaganda material is deeply disturbing. It demonstrates once again how the Russian government and its proxies abroad are weaponizing culture—specifically the international Ballroom Dance Industry—to advance political narratives and whitewash the ongoing war crimes committed by the Putin regime.

We strongly condemn the exploitation of ballroom dancing as a propaganda tool. Culture and art must never be used to legitimize aggression or to obscure the suffering of innocent people. Dance for Justice will continue to call out and oppose all such manipulative practices that seek to distort the truth and exploit the arts for political gain.

— Dance for Justice Coalition

07/22/2025

🚨 SHOCKING DEVELOPMENT IN DANCESPORT — COLLUSION WITH SANCTIONED ENTITIES IN RUSSIA 🚨

On June 12, 2025, several high-profile figures in the international dancesport community — including:

- Donnie Burns (President of WDC)
- Heidi Burns
- Massimo Giorgiani
- Alessia Manfredini
- Riccardo Cocchi
- Yulia Zagoruychenko
- Colin James
- Paolo Bosco

…participated in an event in Moscow organized by FDSARR — a Russian dance federation deeply entangled with state propaganda and U.S.-sanctioned entities.

🛑 The competition was sponsored or supported by multiple Russian state-linked companies sanctioned by the U.S. Government, including:
• VTB Bank (SDN-listed)
• Gazprombank (SDN-listed)
• Rosgosstrakh (SDN-listed)
• Russian Railways (sectoral sanctions under EO 14024)
• Novatek PJSC (sectoral sanctions)
• Artek Camp in Crimea — a propaganda tool used to indoctrinate children, especially disturbing in light of Russia’s documented kidnapping and reeducation of Ukrainian children in occupied territories.

⚠️ FDSARR itself includes Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk — all illegally occupied Ukrainian territories — within its jurisdiction. Supporting or legitimizing such an organization directly reinforces Russia’s illegal territorial claims.

🚨🚨🚨And most shockingly:
During the event, a letter from Vladimir Putin endorsing the competition was read aloud on the dancefloor, while Donnie Burns stood beside the host in a position of full support.

What U.S. Law Says:

Under Executive Orders 14024 & 13662, it is unlawful for U.S. persons to:
• Provide services to or benefit entities on the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List
• Facilitate transactions with sanctioned entities
• Support events sponsored by sanctioned parties, even indirectly

OFAC holds individuals and organizations to a strict liability standard — meaning intent is not required for a violation to occur.

🚨 Why This Matters:
• This is not a neutral dance event — it is state-aligned propaganda during a time of war, held in a country committing atrocities in Ukraine.
• These participants, by standing with FDSARR and engaging in its events, may have violated U.S. sanctions law and helped whitewash war crimes through cultural platforms.

We condemn the participation of these individuals and demand a full investigation into whether their actions have violated U.S. sanctions or other federal laws.

We urge the public and the dance community to contact authorities and demand accountability:

➡️ OFAC Enforcement: [email protected]
➡️ DHS/ICE (Immigration & Sanctions Enforcement): https://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form
➡️ State Department (Sanctions Coordination): [email protected]
➡️ Congressional Oversight: Contact your representatives

06/09/2025

Serhii Nazarenko, 31, taught ballroom dancing for 11 years and was in sales relations before he became a machine gunner in the elite Omega group.

06/09/2025

06/09/2025

We stood together on the UCLA campus to speak out against the spread of Russian propaganda and to honor the truth about Ukraine’s fight for freedom.🎙️ Ukrainian activists, professors, students, and allies gathered to call for accountability, amplify Ukrainian voices, and demand that U.S. institutions stop giving platforms to pro-Kremlin narratives.🎬 The rally was in response to the appearance of Oliver Stone at the screening of Last Breath by Costa-Gavras, a film event that provided a platform for a figure who has repeatedly echoed Kremlin talking points and whitewashed Russia’s crimes in Ukraine. His presence in an academic setting raises serious concerns about the normalization of disinformation under the guise of dialogue or free speech.💙💛 Thank you to everyone who showed up, spoke up, and stood strong with us. Your presence matters.Слава Україні!Героям Слава! Thank you, Victoria Lisetsky. Video report by Channel 5 UA