ukraine -- to show show y ukrainian heart, show ukrainian culture from the stage, to show audience and share our cullker. and we call ourselves the warriors on the stage. >> reporter: but if they are warriors, they are warriors practically without uniforms. the dancers came here expecting only a brief tour with only the costumes for the "nutcracker" performance and no scenic backdrops or stage props. for now they're continuing to play around france but borrowing everything right down to ballet shoes. two of the ballet company's star performers have toured abroad before, but this is different. neither can stand being apart from their families knowing that they are increasingly under the russian boot. >> at this moment i understand that i am safe here, but, still,