Lord of the steppes
For dazzling choreography and eye-popping gymnastic moves, the Moiseyev Dance Company has few peers anywhere on the planet. And neither the 62-year-old troupe nor its 92-year-old artistic director, Igor Moiseyev, show any signs of slowing down soon.
The world-famous Russian folk dance ensemble kicks off its 27-city 1999 U.S. tour with performances Saturday, Jan. 23 at the Annenberg Center. As always, the Moiseyev program includes dances that cover the many different cultures and folk customs of Russia, blending ballet technique with spectacular leaps and kicks.
The program at the Annenberg will include dances drawn from Finnish, Bashkir, Romanian and Sicilian (yes, Sicilian) national traditions; works based on Ukrainian Jewish festivities, classic 19th-century Russian literature and the folklife of the peoples of the Nogai steppes; "Partisans," a tribute to the peoples of the Soviet Union who battled the Nazis; and "Gopak" (photo), the best-known of all Russian folk dances, as the rousing finale.
-S.S.
- MOISEYEV DANCE COMPANY: 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, in the Zellerbach Theatre, Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut St. Tickets $45 matinee, $50 evening; discounts are available for seniors, students and Penn faculty/staff/alumni. Tickets/info: 898-3900.
