Ukrainian dancer and choreographer Alena Shoptenko has secretly married for the third time, revealing her new foreign partner Chris on social media after holding a wedding ceremony on September 23, 2026.
The celebrated Ukrainian performer, who is also known as Olena Shoptenko, shared the news of her marriage with her followers on Instagram by publishing a photograph from the wedding. In her post, she stated that September 23 marked their agreement and wrote that with the ring she chose him today, tomorrow, and every day. She also promised to make every ordinary day special together with him and added that she loved Chris.
Shoptenko is a prominent figure in Ukrainian entertainment, widely recognized for her work as a professional ballroom dancer and choreographer on national television. Her wedding announcement marks the first time she has publicly shown her new foreign husband to her fans.
Previous marriages and family
The marriage is the third for the choreographer. Shoptenko was first married to fellow dancer Dmytro Dikusar, who is also a well known figure in Ukrainian ballroom dancing. The pair wed in 2013, but their marriage ended in divorce three years later in 2016.
In October 2016, Shoptenko married her second husband, entrepreneur Oleksiy Ivanov. The couple welcomed a son, named Oleksiy after his father, in June 2018. The pair separated prior to the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, and their divorce was officially finalized while the conflict was underway.
Speaking about the end of her second marriage, the choreographer stated that the separation was caused by differing life values and contrasting views regarding family and relationships.
Life in Vienna and future plans
Following the outbreak of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Shoptenko relocated with her son to Vienna, the capital city of Austria. Her son currently lives and attends school in Vienna, where Shoptenko confirmed in September 2026 that the boy had entered the third grade.
Despite their divorce, Ivanov continues to assist Shoptenko and their son by providing financial support while they reside abroad. The announcement of her third marriage comes as news agency UNIAN reported that Shoptenko recently addressed whether she intends to return to Ukraine while the war continues.
