Interested in attending the performance?
Tickets can be purchased online, at the Emens Box Office or by calling 800-745-3000.
Many students have read “Romeo and Juliet” for English class, but at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Moscow Festival Ballet will present the tragic love story through dance in Emens Auditorium.
Along with the first act of “Romeo and Juliet,” the 42 professional ballet dancers will also perform the second act of “Carmen,” a four-act opera by French composer Georges Bizet.
“‘Romeo and Juliet’ has all the elements of the story even though it is only 35 minutes long. This classic Russian Ballet is one of my favorites,” said Elena Khorosheva, one of Moscow Festival Ballet’s principal dancers. “‘Carmen’ is very sexy and emotional. I am sure the audience will enjoy the contrast between the two ballets and enjoy each in their own way.”
The Moscow Festival Ballet is a Russian professional ballet company that has previously performed “Swan Lake,” “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty” at Ball State.
The group has toured throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Japan, performing shows like “Carmen,” “Giselle,” “Don Quixote,” “Paquita,” “The Golden Age” and more.
In order to become part of the Moscow Festival Ballet, a dancer must attend eight years of classical Russian ballet school and demonstrate dedication to the craft.
“I think Classical Russian Ballet is the best in the world,” Khorosheva said. “It is rooted in much tradition. I think it is unique because it has remained the same for so long.”
Khorosheva started dancing when she was 8 years old and still devotes numerous hours to improving her Classical Russian Ballet technique.
All dancers must take ballet classes for one hour every day as well as attend a two-hour rehearsal, but Khorosheva practices an additional hour on her own. She does a lot of stretching to keep her muscles loose, and she constantly reverts back to the basics.
“Dance can cross cultural and language barriers like any other medium. It can display every emotion there is. It makes the audience and dancers get lost in the various moments,” Khorosheva said. “We dance the choreography to tell the story. We act the parts to display the emotion of the moment.”
Along with the choreography and emotion of the dancing, the set, music and costumes put together are meant to bring the Montagues, Capulets and Carmen to life.
“The set will feel minimalistic, rather focusing on costumes and elaborate lighting techniques to set each scene and transition easily from 'Romeo and Juliet' to 'Carmen,'” said Kristi Chambers, assistant director of marketing and communications. “Traditional ballet, and dance in general, is an art form that bridges the cultural gap. All cultures and languages can appreciate the beauty of ballet [and] dance.”
Contact Melissa Kraman with comments at mmkraman@bsu.edu or on Twitter @missy_kraman.
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