Four stars of the international ballet world representing Denmark, Russia, Spain and the United States are to dance together in a special four-day competition at Moscow's Bolshoi theatre.
The Bolshoi's own Nikolay Tsiskaridze - a Russian of Georgian origin, Johan Kobborg - a Dane from the Danish Ballet Company, Spain's Angel Corella from the American Ballet Company (ABT) and Ethan Stiefel - an American from ABT, will dance together from Sunday in a competition called Kings of the Dance.
The competition was launched in the United States last year and will have its European premiere in Moscow.
"It's a rare occurrence to see four international stars in one show," Bolshoi Ballet Director Alexei Ratmanski said during a practice on Saturday.
The ballet stars will dance together in For 4, a ballet especially crafted for them by British choreographer Christopher Wheeldon.
This ballet will follow an individual mini-ballet of their own choosing.
"We inspire each other," Stiefel said, who promised to bring to the stage "the spirit of New York and Broadway" in his individual piece originally choreographed by the late Bob Fosse called Percussion IV.
"We will give you more than you could imagine," Tsiskaridze said.
He will dance Carmen-solo by French choreographer Roland Petit.
The dancers will also play the role of a maniacal dance professor who kills his young student in the ballet The Lesson, from a piece by Eugene Ionesco and staged by Danish choreographer Flemming Flindt.
The Lesson, created in the 1960's, is "an erotic thriller, exciting and terrifying," Flindt SAID, saying that he left "a lot of room for the dancers" so they could express their own personalities.
After the premiere, the ballet will become part of the Bolshoi's repertoire. © 2007 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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