From Russia with love: Imperial Russian Ballet dancers in action.
By Cherie Donnellan
CLASSIC Russian beauties will float into Geelong next Friday dressed in tutus and pointe shoes.
Ballet director Gediminas Taranda was “excited” to bring his rendition of Sleeping Beauty to Geelong.
“This is a very classical regional story,” Taranda told the Independent, “but I have created some new choreography to boost this classical performance.”
Taranda joked he would spare audiences having to sit through the original Sleeping Beauty’s four-and-a-half-hour performance.
His produciton would comprise three acts of two and a half hours “but with breaks”.
“People are very busy these days with family and work but this show allows families to spend time together.”
Taranda reminisced about an Australian family impressing him with their “appreciation of classical ballet” during his last tour.
“They told me their lives were busy but when they go to the ballet it was like opening a window and smelling fresh air. That made me smile.”
Taranda said his troupe of 45 dancers had worked hard to prepare for the performances.
“Before we came here the dancers had eight-hour rehearsals every day. It takes a lot of practice to perfect the performance.
Taranda’s Imperial Russian Ballet Company will perform at Geelong Performing Arts Centre on September 21.
