🇪🇺 TEEN European Digital Community: Glowing Tree from Brovary, Ukraine

Glowing Tree

I love exploring the world, meeting new people, and trying everything at least once. Theatre and performing arts are my biggest passions — I act, create, and run small workshops to help others express themselves. I’m also into travel, adventure sports, and anything outdoors — hiking, climbing, skating, or just wandering somewhere new. I mix creativity with curiosity: I write, shoot, and edit videos, craft things with my hands, and always look for ways to connect art, people, and ideas. I’m here to learn, share, and be inspired alongside others who love culture, creativity, and discovering life in unexpected ways.

The soil / the need

When I first got closer to theatre, I wasn’t really ready for it.
I had been to the theatre many times in my childhood, but it never truly grabbed me. I think part of the reason was my background. My parents are scientists, and growing up I was often taught — directly or indirectly — that art is not a “real profession.” Something beautiful, maybe, but not serious. Not something you build a life on. So I never allowed myself to take theatre seriously, even if something inside me was really curious.
That changed when I got older and, almost by chance, joined acting courses. Later, I even took part in real film shoots and commercials, and suddenly found myself surrounded by people who lived and breathed this world. That was the moment something new was discovered inside of me.
What I realized I had been missing all along was emotional clearance.
For me, theatre is the art of emotions. A place where people create something powerful using only their bodies, voices, facial expressions, presence. It’s everything at once — charisma, courage, inner-confidence, need to go out of your comfort zone. And the impact of that is huge. At least, on me for sure.
Through acting, I discovered a form of self-expression that feels incredibly truthful. A way to understand myself better, to give something away, to be fully present. Sometimes it feels like the stage is where I belong, and I spent years rejecting that because of beliefs I grew up with.
Now, as I’m finishing my bachelor’s degree in International Relations, I’m seriously considering pursuing a second education in acting. Because the more I allow myself to be close to theatre, the clearer it becomes: this might be a calling I ignored for years — because I was taught to doubt it. And theatre actually gave me permission to stop doing that.

The first seed

A theatre workshop / lab

Tell us about that first spark

Probably the first time was when we went to a theatre with my school, already at a teen age. I clearly remember sitting there and suddenly feeling truly impressed by what I saw. And at some point I caught myself thinking that I actually want TO DO this. Not just watch — perform.
It was also exactly the time when we were supposed to start choosing a profession. Many of my classmates already knew who they wanted to become. I didn’t. I had no idea at all. But in that theatre, I saw these emotions, and with which power they were concentrated in just a few people on stage. It affected me a lot.
And not in a way that made me want to come back as a spectator. I wanted to be there with them. On stage.
I remember sharing this feeling with my parents. I honestly don’t remember their reaction — but I clearly remember how quickly this thought disappeared in my head. It faded very fast. I forgot about theatre for several years and chose a “serious” path instead — diplomacy.
What actually brought this spark back was getting to know people from the acting world later on. I’m fascinated by how they see the world, how openly they show emotions, how free they are inside. That’s what slowly led me back to theatre in a more adult, conscious way.

Roots (people & experiences that shaped your path)

My journey was never built around one person or one big moment. It was shaped slowly, through people and experiences that kept bringing me back to myself.
What mattered most was meeting people from the acting world. Not famous names, not mentors in a classical sense — but real actors I worked with, trained with, or simply spent time around. Being close to them changed how I saw theatre. I was deeply impressed by how they perceive the world, how openly they live through emotions, how present they are in their bodies and reactions. There is a kind of inner freedom in them that I hadn’t seen so clearly before, and it stayed with me.
Another important experience was acting courses and real shoots — films, commercials, small projects. Being on set taught me a lot. Not in a romantic way, but in a more practical one. I learned what it means to repeat the same scene many times, to stay focused, to trust your body and emotions even when you’re tired or unsure. That’s when theatre stopped being an abstract idea and became something real to me.

The trunk (what keeps you in theatre)

I stay in theatre because it’s one of the few places where I can really be myself. Where I can let out all the emotions I have — and trust me, I have a lot. Where I can create something with my own body, my voice, my presence. Where I can show myself fully without pretending.
Sure, I still get nervous before performances or in front of an audience. I get shaky, my stomach flips, I overthink. But at the same time, I love it. I love being in the center of attention. I love that rush of energy, the feeling that I’m alive and doing exactly what I want. That’s what keeps me coming back, even when I’m scared or unsure.
Theatre lets me push myself, test my limits, and still have fun. It’s messy, it’s exhausting, sometimes it’s frustrating — but it’s also the most real and intense way I’ve ever experienced life. And that’s why I can’t leave it behind.

Branches (future / desire)

In the next years, I want to keep acting, but also would love to start creating my own projects — small performances, experimental shows, or even workshops where I can bring people together and explore emotions through movement, teamwork and voice. I want to work with teenagers mostly, helping them find a way to express themselves, build confidence, and connect with others through theatre techniques.
I also want to combine theatre with other things I already do — like content creation and social projects. For example, making short videos or live performances that raise awareness about social issues or show how creativity can connect people. I’d love to collaborate with local theatres, schools, and cultural centres, bringing workshops or small interactive performances that feel alive and real.
Theatre for me is not just performing; it’s creating, connecting, and experimenting. I hope it keeps giving me new skills, new perspectives, and the courage to try things I haven’t done before. I want to use what I learn to make theatre more accessible, to involve others, and to keep pushing myself — and the people I work with — to explore and feel fully.

Are you currently involved in cultural activities?

Yes, regularly

If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? Why?

If I were a tree, I’d be a tree that glows at night. My leaves would shimmer softly in different colors depending on the mood around me, and my branches would stretch wide so anyone could climb, rest, or hide in them. My roots would tangle with the ground in unexpected ways, reaching places no one thinks about, keeping me connected to everything around me.
I’d make little sounds when the wind passes through me — whispers, laughter, music — so anyone nearby would feel like something magical is happening. And no matter what storms or seasons come, I’d stay alive, always changing, always giving space for new life, curiosity, and discovery.

Contact

Instagram: @nevlovima