Biographical information
He was born on July 31, 1946 in the city of Omsk in a family of circus artists: both Oleksandr Oleksandrivna Alexandrova’s mother and Dmytro Terentiyovych Shevchenko’s father were trainers. In 1966, he graduated from the State School of Variety and Circus Art in Moscow, majoring in “circus artist-gymnast”. In the same year, he was hired by “Soyuzgoscyrk” as an artist — a trainer of predatory animals. Since 1968, he has been an artist-trainer, the head of the Lionesses attraction, then the Lions and Lionesses, Lionesses and Tigers, and Tigers – Riders on Horses attractions.
In 1985, he graduated from the State Institute of Theater Arts named after Lunacharsky, majoring in circus and theater director. In 1970–1996, he was the artistic director and director of the Ukrainian circus collective in the Soyuzgoscyrka system. Since 2000 – artistic director, and since 2007 – general director-artistic director of the National Circus of Ukraine.
He died on October 24, 2012. Buried in Kyiv at Baikovo cemetery (plot No. 52a)
Awards
For his achievements in the field of circus art, he was awarded the honorary titles of Honored Artist of the Ukrainian SSR (in 1976), People’s Artist of the Ukrainian SSR (in 1979) and People’s Artist of the USSR (in 1987).
He was also awarded the Order of “Friendship” (silver) of the German Democratic Republic, a medal named after V. Durov, “Silver Branch” (Italy), “Gold Medal of Paris” and “Golden Eagle” (Japan), Gold Medal of the International League of Variety Circus Artists (Paris, France), Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise 5 and 4 degrees ( Ukraine, 2006, 2011).
Filmography
| 1984 | Make the clown laugh | predator trainer Volodymyr Shevchenko | Ukrainian SSR |
A «Cage for Two» – is a book about people and artists with a capital letter. Volodymyr and Lyudmila Shevchenko. The author is Serhii Kotelnikov.
