Moscow Classical Ballet's THE NUTCRACKER Set for Harris Center, Now thru 12/12

Tchaikovsky's timeless tale of family and the magic of Christmas will bring people together at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom to enjoy the merriment of the holidays, especially in this staging by the esteemed Moscow Classical Ballet. This brilliant troupe is one of three ballet companies supported by the Russian government and "boasts a cluster of phenomenal young dancers...its corps performs in an uncluttered streamlined style" (New York Times).

In talking about the Moscow Classical Ballet, Robert Friedman, president of Robert Friedman Presents, notes that "These Moscow Classical Ballet dancers are beautiful young strong dancers with a great deal of vitality since the Russian training is the best in the world. The dancers attend dance class every day because dance is a very demanding profession. It's a profession you must love."

ROBERT FRIEDMAN PRESENTS MOSCOW CLASSICAL BALLET'S THE NUTCRACKER will be performed tonight, December 9, 2014 at 7 pm, Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at 3 pm, Thursday, December 11, 2014 at 7 pm, and Friday, December 12, 2014 at 7 pm. Tickets are priced at $29-$49; Premium $59-$65. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from the Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from 10 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

The Moscow Classical Ballet came into existence as the Young Ballet, the USSR State Choreographic Company, in 1966. It was established by the USSR Ministry of Culture as a ballet troupe whose role was to tour the Soviet Union and foreign countries performing Russian classical ballet in its traditional form.

The company, under the artistic direction of Igor Moiseyev, gave its first performance in 1968. Its repertoire consisted of excerpts from classical ballets and choreographic miniatures produced by such choreographers as Vinogradov, Goleizovsky, Messerer and Moiseyev himself. In 1977, Vladimir Vasilyov, Asaf Messerer's pupil, and Natalia Kasatkina assumed the roles of artistic directors. Their arrival on the scene transformed the ballet company into the troupe it is today. The troupe emerged from its earlier role as a concert company into that of a touring ballet theater, exhibiting a theatrical approach to the most traditional masterpieces of Russian Ballet and the newest achievements in modern choreography. Kasatkina and Vasilyov danced and choreographed together since 1959, and have produced more that 55 of their librettos in the USSR and abroad. Their philosophy of the company, however, has always reflected the public's interest in classical performances.

In 1986, the company acquired a new status and its present name. This brilliant troupe has won more than 15 Gold Medals from international competitions and three prizes at the Paris Academy of dance. Recently, the company was granted the title of "Academic Theatre" by the Russian government, a prestigious title only granted to a few top Russian ballet companies. The Moscow Classical Ballet remains one of the few Russian ballet companies still supported by the Russian government. Regularly performing at the Kremlin Palace of Congresses in Moscow, they have also performed in more than 30 countries around the world and over 200 cities in Russia. They have toured their production of The Nutcracker in the United States every year for over 15 years!

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