REVIEW: Moscow Ballet delivers holiday-season gem

In 2009, Svetlana Todorinov was the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Great Russian Nutcracker. She’s now a teacher with the Moscow Ballet, which performs the classic tonight (Nov. 17) at Interior Savings Centre.

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Bring on Christmas, I’m ready.

Although, truth be told, watching a ballet at Interior Savings Centre is less than desirable.

But, even watching dancers standing in the wings waiting to return to the stage and wondering why there were spotlights focused on the floor, it was worth it just to see the Moscow Ballet perform The Great Russian Nutcracker.

This version was slightly different from the one I’m used to seeing in Ontario, with the National Ballet performing the holiday classic.

Clara — called Masha in this rendition — is not on stage at all during the majority of the second part, when dancers representing other countries perform.

Instead, it was like being in a magical garden, with oversized creatures sharing the stage with the amazing dancers.

I’d love to single out some, but there was no program provided, either, so I have no idea who these performers were.

But, they were awesome. In particular, the dancer playing Masha’s uncle, the wizard-like guest who starts the night of rats fighting and toys coming to life, was perfect.

I’m used to the National Ballet choosing a young dance student to play Clara in its version, so it was also delightful to see an experienced, talented dancer taking on the young girl’s role.

Jelly Events, which brought in the touring company, is known more for staging concerts at ISC, so it was great to see it bring in something that the entire family — including all those young ballerinas-in-training, all in their Christmas-party gowns — could enjoy.

That’s how my devotion to the ballet began — a mother who thought I could dance and took me to the ballet to inspire me.

Despite years of ballet lessons, I don’t dance at all — but my love of the classic remains.