Sasha Mukhamedov introduces the 'a la russe' program

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Sergei Prokofiev and Igor Stravinsky are the three great Russian ballet composers brought together in one programme by the Dutch National Ballet in February 2011. Besides inspiring such masters as George Balanchine, their compositions have also fired the imagination of a younger generation of choreographers, including Alexei Ratmansky and Krzysztof Pastor.

On the Dnieper, set to the music of the same name composed by Prokofiev in 1932 for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, was premiered very successfully in New York in June 2009. It was the first work created by ex-Bolshoi director Alexei Ratmansky in his new capacity as resident choreographer of American Ballet Theatre. Inspired by the original libretto, the ballet tells the dramatic story of Sergei; a soldier who returns to his village on the river Dnieper after the war. There, despite already being engaged, he falls in love with another bride-to-be.

George Balanchine's ballet Serenade has no storyline, despite containing some anecdotal elements. The choreographer was mainly concerned with visualizing the melodic and rhythmic lines of Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings. Balanchine created the ballet in 1934 as practice material for the pupils of his recently founded School of American Ballet. Now, over 75 years later, the lyrical piece is considered one of the most important ballet classics of the twentieth century.

The other work on the programme is created by resident choreographer Krzysztof Pastor. Pastor is presenting his most recent creation, Dumbarton Dances (2009), which is set to Stravinsky's chamber orchestra work Dumbarton Oaks. It is a spirited and dynamic piece, in which eight boys size each other up in a light-hearted atmosphere of rivalry. The movement idiom is powerful and macho, and gives the dancers every opportunity to shine.

Tchaikovksy pas de deux is Balanchine's unparalleled virtuoso
tribute to principal dancers, on music from Swan Lake.

Serenade and Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux are being performed as courtesy of © The George Balanchine Trust

A la Russe will be performed in Muziektheater Amsterdam from March 8th until 25th

[andrearodrigues]

I really love Jurgita Dronina! She's so beautiful and has marvellous technique! Omg She's certainly one of the best ballerinas I've ever seen!

[HetNationaleBallet]

@LitlePlushie She is Jurgita Dronina, one of the company's principle female dancers