The Russian Ballet Icons Gala "The Story of Russian Ballet"

The Russian Ballet Icons Gala 2014, a grand gala evening dedicated to the story of the Russian ballet and the celebration of 2014 as a year designated ‘The Year of Russian Culture in the UK’, will be held on the 9th March 2013 on the stage of the English National Opera in London.

Part of the Russian Ballet Icons series, Arts promoter Ensemble Productions is proud to present the evening which will be accompanied by the orchestra of English National Ballet under the direction of Valeriy Ovsyannikov.

This enchanting evening will feature significant excerpts from the Russian classical repertoire and will be complimented by several contemporary masterpieces (with choreographers such as John Neumeier, Roland Petit, John Cranko, Kenneth Macmillian, Maurice Bejart, Twyla Tharp, Jessica Lang and Alexey Ratmansky). All of these performances will have been influenced by and dedicated to iconic Russian dancers. The programme will be performed by the leading star dancers of the Bolshoi, Mariinsky, Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, ballets of the Grand Opera Paris, Berlin Staatsoper, New York City Ballet and the Ballet of Monte Carlo.

The Russian Ballet Icons Gala will cast a wide historical perspective over the entire history of Russian ballet and its strong links with the ballet in Britain. Russian ballet has exerted an important influence on British ballet. Both Ninette de Valois, founder of the Royal Ballet, and Alicia Markova, founder of English National Ballet, danced with Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes. Diaghilev’s dancers Anton Dolin and Tamara Karsavina were engaged by the Royal Ballet to bring Russian ballet traditions into the Royal Ballet School. British Prima Ballerina Assoluta Dame Margo Fonteyn found her ideal partner in Russian star Rudolf Nureyev, who himself was a guest principal of the Royal Ballet for a number of years. The Russian classical ballet repertoire is extensively performed by both leading British companies.