"It's not so nice for me to dance it but I know I can help my family - I can find in this ballet a different meaning about kindness and humanity," she told AAP.

Onipko is part of the United Ukrainian Ballet, formed earlier in 2022 by dancers fleeing the Russian invasion and currently midway through an Australian tour.

When Swan Lake is performed by this troupe of 50 dancers, the work of one of Russia's greatest composers becomes an act of defiance.

And Onipko has found additional meaning in the tale of Odette/Odile and Prince Siegfried - the well-known ballet has become an allegory for world events, the lies of the Black Swan representing Vladimir Putin.

The ballerina initially felt she didn't deserve to be on tour when her family was struggling to survive in Kyiv and still has sleepless nights worrying about them.

"I can't eat the good food. I can't be happy. I can't enjoy it because I know that my mum needs everything," she said.

Her sister and one-year-old niece remain in the capital, living on the 18th floor of a high-rise building with no water, the electricity cut off for much of the day and the constant risk of shelling.

But the tour has meant she can send money home while she tries to help her family escape to the Netherlands.

"When I am travelling and dancing I can speak about what is going on in my country and I can help my family," she said.

The United Ukrainian Ballet was formed by dancers from the country's finest ballet houses including the National Opera of Ukraine, Kharkiv Opera Theatre and Odesa Opera and Ballet Theatre.

The company is based in the Netherlands after the government there let the dancers use the former Royal Conservatoire building in The Hague, where they live and rehearse together.

Onipko is also involved in a photography project. For the past several months she has worked with her friend, photographer Felipe Jacome, to produce a series of images of ballet dancers displaced by the conflict.

Each picture is printed onto hundreds of bullet casings using a UV printer, contrasting the beauty of the dancers with the destruction inflicted by the bullets.

The pictures will be on show in Paris in November, with some already sold to raise money for recovery efforts.

The United Ukrainian Ballet has performed a series of shows in Melbourne and added extra dates for performances in Sydney before a season in Adelaide from November 9.

A portion of each ticket sold on the Australian tour will be donated to The United Ukrainian Ballet Foundation.

Australian Associated Press