Winter wonders

If you miss that winter feeling, a performance by Moscow On Ice brings the best of the season to the Cypriot shores

It may be the depths of winter but we can’t really say that we’ve had much cold weather this year. The closest we’ve probably all come to feeling the chill factor is a visit to Troodos, spending the day in the snow only to go back home and feel like it’s spring again. But all this is about to change as the magic of a Russian winter arrives in the form of Moscow on Ice, involving a spectacular show on an ice rink. The group, which has been traveling the world for years, will perform for the first time in Cyprus. Brought here by Kolizey Productions, it will put on shows between March 4 and 11 at Monte Caputo in Limassol.

The show can best be described as a brilliant extravaganza for the whole family to enjoy as kids will be fascinated by the wonderful colours and costumes, while adults are bound to love all the intricate movement and spectacle of coordinated dancing on ice. It’s a dynamic mixture of modern, jazz, folk and classical ballet with stunning visual tricks taking in graceful gymnastics and aerial acrobatics. What’s more, the programme unites leading performers of the Moscow Ballet on Ice with stars of the Moscow Circus, in a versatile repertoire with a variety of over 300 great costumes. Evening performances will offer two hours of sheer beauty in cabaret style for adults, while afternoon shows will present Cinderella for kids and those young at heart.

“Everything about the show is absolutely magical,” says Louiza Coudounaris, a representative of Kolizey productions in Cyprus. “I’ve recently seen the show in Athens and it reconfirmed everything that I’d previously been told about it. It’s something that children in Cyprus shouldn’t miss and adults will probably enjoy even more than the young ones.”

As the first professional ice ballet company in Russia, Moscow on Ice was founded in 1957 by two outstanding Russian artists, Leonid Lavrosky and Gregory Arnold. When the show first came out it comprised three genres including figure skating, ballet and circus acts, and its performances immediately became an overwhelming success as audiences hadn’t seen anything quite like it before. For the past 50 years its productions have been directed by world famous choreographers and stage directors while highly celebrated Russian stars of figure skating and Olympic Champions have performed with the company at various times.

Since the 1990s the group has performed on theatre and opera stages, which has proved to be quite a novelty as previously ice skating companies could only perform in special ice sports facilities. The company has since gained vast experience from outdoor performances in central squares and other open spaces in cities such as Brussels, Strasburg, Red Square in Moscow and open grounds in Bombay, Seoul, Los Angeles and San Francisco. As crowds flock to watch the shows, Moscow on Ice has managed to earn a reputation as a group of fascinating and extravagant entertainers.

“This is something that children have never seen before, but it’s also something that’s completely new to adults. A cabaret show on ice is something that’s never been brought to our island before,” says Coudounaris. The ice that will soon be laid down in Monte Caputo may not be real, but for a few hours it’s guaranteed that you’ll be whisked away to a world of magic as a winter wonderland comes to life.

Moscow on Ice > With Cinderella and a cabaret performance for adults. March 4-11. Monte Caputo, Limassol. 8pm. £20, £15 and £12. Afternoon performances March 4, 10 and 11. 3.30pm. £5 child and £10 adult. Part of the proceeds will be donated to the Cyprus Antidrugs Association. Tel: 99 681558.

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