Two lavish productions of popular ballets Swan Lake and Coppelia are coming to Liverpool next month. Vicky Anderson reports

ELLEN KENT Ballet celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and will be celebrating in typically lavish style, bringing brand-new productions of timeless shows Coppelia and Swan Lake to the Liverpool stage next month.

Boasting 50 dancers and a large live orchestra, her productions are renowned for always going the extra mile with evocative sets, beautiful costumes and huge casts.

Now, more than ever, she says her fantastical shows are the answer to the “doom and gloom” of current tough times.

The two ballets are being performed by the Russian Classical Ballet Theatre, an internationally renowned company who return to the UK by popular demand.

The production stars Kristina Terentieva – the winner of the Grand Prix International Dance Competition, Vienna 2007 – and her husband Alexi Terentiev. The couple, who have a five-year-old daughter, Alisa, met and fell in love when training as ballet dancers, and will only ever partner each other.

It is, says Kristina, “absolutely wonderful” to work alongside her husband. “I think we make a good couple both on stage and in life.

“He is a true gentleman, I always feel protected, cared for and loved by him. He is also a wonderful dancer.

“You can discuss all the technicalities and difficulties of ballet pas’ and work out together the best way of handling them. The most important thing is that I am very confident in him, both as a partner on stage and in life.”

Kristina will be performing in both ballets coming to the Empire, but the dancer, who says she couldn’t live without chocolate, says the lead role in Swan Lake is her real favourite.

“The role of Odette/Odile, in Swan Lake, is very special for me,” she says. “It’s a challenge to portray two completely different characters – fearful and vulnerable Odette, passionate and manipulative Odile – and then follow this with her retransformation into a tender Odette again.”