▁after ▁her ▁defe ction , ▁stating ▁she ▁couldn ' t ▁sleep ▁for ▁two ▁night s ▁after ▁her ▁departure ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁" because ▁I ▁was ▁thinking ▁of ▁mother , ▁home , ▁family . ▁It ' s ▁a ▁very ▁big ▁problem . ▁But ▁freedom ▁is ▁better ." ▁ ▁Prom oted ▁by ▁im pres ario ▁Sol ▁H uro k , ▁the ▁couple ▁performed ▁with ▁the ▁Festival ▁Bal let ▁in ▁London ▁in ▁their ▁first ▁performance ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁receiving ▁what ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁" an ▁ov ation ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁magnitude " ▁for ▁their ▁appearance ▁in ▁Don ▁Qu ix ote ▁by ▁Ludwig ▁M ink us . ▁ ▁The ▁couple ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁arriv ing ▁in ▁Hob oken , ▁New ▁Jersey ▁on ▁the ▁SS ▁Nie uw ▁Amsterdam ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁upon ▁their ▁arrival ▁in ▁the ▁U . S ., ▁K ov ach ▁described ▁how ▁their ▁position ▁as ▁d anc ers ▁with ▁the ▁L ening rad ▁bal let ▁meant ▁that ▁they ▁" w ere ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁privile ged ▁class ▁and ▁had ▁money , ▁an ▁autom obile ▁and ▁a ▁nice ▁home ▁but ▁never ▁what ▁we ▁wanted ▁most ▁— ▁Fre edom ". ▁ ▁They ▁appeared ▁on ▁television ▁on ▁Ed ▁S ull ivan ' s ▁Toast ▁of ▁the ▁Town ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁Western ▁aud ien ces ▁were ▁d azz led ▁by