<B>Big name, small ensemble</B><BR>By Ruth Beloff in The Jerusalem Post<P><BR>Ruth Beloff traces the history of Russia's Bolshoi Ballet and explores the Soloists of the Bolshoi, who will perform in Israel next week. <P>For me, the Bolshoi Ballet has always evoked a sense of consummate dignity and grandeur - a classical group of exquisitely trained dancers who leap or pirouette across the stage with superb mastery of precision and technique. <P>The name itself has always connoted a caliber of excellence. Besides the fact that the word bolshoi means "big" or "grand" in Russian, the reputation of the corps de ballet seemed larger than life as well. <P><A HREF="http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2002/01/17/Culture/CultureNews.41847.html" TARGET=_blank><B>click for more</B></A>

The ballet lovers in Israel will have a lucky opportunity to see in mid-February the Bolshoi's Principal dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze (see a separate topic on this Forum). Two of the best pieces from his diverse repertoire will be performed there: "The Narcissus" and Golden Slave in Fokin's "Shaherezade" with Ilse Liepa as Zobeide.