Founded in 2012, Dakh Daughters, like their “sister group” DakhaBrakha, are a project of the Dakh Contemporary Arts Center, an avant-garde theater in Kyiv, Ukraine. The groups both feature cellist and vocalist Nina Garenetska and were formed under the direction of Dakh’s artistic director, Vladislav Troitsky. While DakhaBrakha describe their music as “ethno-chaos” that takes an avant-garde approach to the folk music traditions of Ukraine, and dress in intricately embroidered folk costumes, Dakh Daughters’ “freak cabaret” is a more visibly cosmopolitan aesthetic. Cabaret is a polymorphous style, musically drawing from folk, pop, and art song, but ultimately theatrical. In Dakh Daughters, the musicians are actors: Whatever costumes they wear—tutus and leotards, bathing suits, or raincoats—their faces are painted clown white with bright red lipstick and painted-on eyebrows. Their stylized movements show training in dance and physical theater—it’s as if they’re playing distinct characters in a fictitious band. If the song does not tell a story, then there is a story in how they perform it. While chiefly performing on acoustic instruments, and occasional toys like rubber ducks, they reference styles as varied as punk, noise rock, French chanson, reggae, rap, and Ukrainian folk, as well as poems by William Shakespeare, Bertolt Brecht, Joseph Brodsky, Charles Bukowski, and Shaggy. Now, due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Dakh Daughters are based in France, where, whether acting or playing, they serve as cultural ambassadors for their homeland. The war is not their first foray into politics: One of their earliest high-profile shows was part of the 2013 Euromaidan protests that eventually brought down the Russia-friendly government of Viktor Yanukovych. Now they are on tour to remind the world that Ukraine is fighting to preserve democracy, and that it has a vibrant artistic culture. Dakh Daughters Freak-Cabaret starts at 8 p.m. on April 21 at Miracle Theatre. unionstage.com. $65–$75.