by CLIFFORD LEE
Weekly News of Essex, England
June 24, 1993

During the past few years we in Essex have come to expect dance events to be of varied styles and a high calibre. This has been due, in no small way, to the efforts of Essex Regional Dance Council and its director Fern Potter.

It was no surprise therefore to find Stars of the Russian Ballet presenting a programme of ballet covering both classical and modem styles at the Civic Theatre last Saturday.

Their performance (part of their Essex tour, which includes performances and workshop sessions) was one of a very high calibre containing all the very best of balletic techniques all accurately and beautifully performed.

The program was ideal as an introduction to ballet since not only were the styles diverse but so was the music ranging from those stalwarts Tchaikovsky and Adam to Khatachurian and Elton John.

Throughout the programme the individual artists displayed energy, emotion, and exactitude, and at times I began to wonder if the Civic theatre stage would be large enough to accommodate the athletic and tremendous leaps of the male dancers.

It would be impossible, and perhaps, unfair, to attempt to single out any one dancer for special mention, and I am not sure that this would be appropriate anyway. Suffice to say these dancers are, as the programme states, stars, and they certainly provided a glittering and exciting evening of dance.