IT was billed as "a spectacular" and it was indeed spectacular in every way.

The Imperial Russian Ballet put on an extravaganza of costume, colour, intricate choreography and vibrant dance at the Civic Theatre last week (October 20-21) called A Festival of Russian Ballet.

The first section was a compressed hour of the ballet Don Quixote, with great sets and excellent dancing. 

The only disappointment was that the company doesn't perform to a live orchestra, which was missed for atmosphere, despite the best dance, costume and set-design efforts of the troupe.

In another push for the new entertainment precinct with accompanying theatres, it is hard not to mention that the male dancers, during their pas de deux, seemed to have to curtail their movements to fit the size of the stage.

By the second instalment, with the slick choreography and contemporary dancing of Bolero, the origins of the music at least, was far from my thoughts.

Bolero was eye-catching, dramatic, and showcased the talent of the dancers.

The final section was a mesh of classics from Giselle to Swan Lake.   

Several principal dancers took turns to perform in the top roles throughout the evening.

The final section was also interspersed with solo contemporary numbers, a pretty jolly chorus number based on the Melbourne Cup, and the evening of ballet and contemporary dance ended with a brightly-coloured and vivacious Can-can Surprise.

The Imperial Russian Ballet's Festival of Russian Ballet may not be loved by purists, but the variety, colour, and energy of the performance is tops for sheer entertainment value and so it will be sure to please audiences wherever it goes.

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