Classic fairy tales brought to life in skating spectacle
The Russian ice ballet company Moscow on Ice is currently in Athens, performing a spectacular show that combines classical ballet, ice skating and acrobatics, at the Big Top Theater, which is situated at the Allou Fun Park in Rendi. The show, performed by 25 ballet dancers and ice skaters, presents some well-known and much-loved fairy tales, including «Cinderella,» «The Sleeping Beauty,» «Little Red Riding Hood» and «The Nutcracker.» It is a striking spectacle with colorful and imaginative costumes, designed by Safina Roza, and is based on music by Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov and other compositions for musicals. Moscow on Ice was the first professional ice ballet company to be founded in the Soviet Union, in 1957. Its founder, choreographer Leonid Lavrovski, was also director of the Bolshoi Ballet at the time. Moscow on Ice performed its first show in 1959 and has toured extensively around the world, with stops including Europe, United States and Canada, Latin America, India, Syria, Israel and Australia. The company’s current director, since 1989, is Igor Shapovalov, who has also choreographed the show. Previous directors include famous Soviet choreographer Mikhail Godenko. Among the dancers are talented soloists Valery Artukhov, Nataliya Tsarevskaya, Maxim Shevtsov, Ksenya Shevtsova and Ustinov Alexandr. Artukhov, trained by Olympic medalist Alexandr Zaitsev, has participated in international ice-skating championships and Tsarevskaya has won Russian championships. Shevtsova has been awarded a silver medal at an international championship and Alexandr has won the Russian championship. Big Top Theater, Allou Fun Park, Kifissou & Petrou Ralli, Rendi, tel 210.921.3310.
