DANCE: Bunbury is set to be enthralled by the beauty and complexity of the Russian National Dance company.
Direct from Russia, Kostroma premiers in Australia this October and charts the evolution of ancient Russian culture through traditional music and dance.
Speaking to entertainment from her office in Moscow, company managing-director Maria Veshkina said the show is set to be quite spectacular.
“We have 45 dancers in the company and they are very excited to be coming to Australia to perform at a new venue and in front of a new audience every day,” she said.
Veshkina said Kostroma takes the audience on a bewitching journey from the Arctic north to the southern Steppes, the peaks of the Caucasus and the depths of Siberia.
“It was very difficult for the dancers to get used to representing the different cultures of the people in the show,” she said.
“We bring the audience a glimpse of the different historical eras of Russia and look at how things have evolved – celebrating the changes this country has undergone.
We don’t just get the music and make a dance out of it - sometimes it takes years to develop a piece for the show.
- Managing director Maria Veshkina.
“It is nice to see the contrast between the elegance and beauty of Russian women paired with the dominance and strength of male warriors.”
The dazzling masterpiece features 600 lavish costumes and over 15 scenes.
“The show has been building up gradually,” Veshkina said.
“The dances and costumes take months of preparation – working with the designers and composers to create the imagery.
“We don’t just get the music and make a dance out of it – sometimes it takes years to develop a piece for the show.”
The premiere performances of Kostroma were presented in Moscow, London, Paris and Rotterdam to rave reviews.
“I try to sneak into the theatre towards the end of the performance each night to see the audience’s reaction and it has been extraordinary,” Veshkina said.
“The show brings together an audience of many different ages and cultures but they all sit in the one concert hall and get right into the show.
“They all leave smiling and dancing.”
Kostroma will perform at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre on October 10 with tickets available from bunburyen tertainment.com
- By Andrew Elstermann.
