Dance show that breaks clichés

Fifty dancers make 17 costume changes during the two-hour performance at the Cosmos Hotel in Moscow. The National Russian Dance Show is meant to break all the clichés and it proves that Russia has much more to offer than vodka, the balalaika and the Matryoshka.

The audience gets to witness a magnificent combination of music, drama and dance. The performance combines traditional folk dances of different Russian ethnic groups with contemporary ballet, using video projection to transport the audience back in history.

The dancers show off more than 200 costumes – all specially made for this show – some decorated with beads, others with pearls and silver.

“Since all the costumes are hand-made, the minimum time spent on their creation is one month. Some take up to half a year to make!”  Larisa Zhuravlyova, a dancer, says.

With their skills, versatility and high kicks, the disciplined dancers have international audience applauding for more.

 “You can feel the energy of the audience through their applause and cheering. Of course the warmest reaction we receive is here, in Russia, because they understand every detail of the show. But the audience abroad also appreciates the show since dance is an international language,” Yury Tsarenko, the producer and artistic director of the show, says.