The Moscow Ballet is presenting the 20th anniversary of "The Great Russian Nutcracker" ballet, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6, State Theatre for the Arts, Easton.

Since 1993, the Moscow has presented "The Great Russian Nutcracker." This season, the Moscow performs in 60 cities across North America. Forty professionally-trained dancers light up the stage with 200 new lavish costumes, nine hand-painted backdrops, and a Christmas tree that grows to four-stories.

Moscow Ballet dancers range from 20- to 38-years-old and have studied the "Nutcracker" since they were teens in ballet school and know all the roles. They only rehearsed for one week in the U.S. to prepare for the tour. Attesting to the rigors of the performance, the principal dancers need one new pair of pointe shoes every two days.

"The Great Russian Nutcracker" is the Moscow's version of the original tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann, called "Nutcracker and the King of Mice," but with the Russian elements of Father Christmas and the Snow Maiden, which are legendary Russian folk characters, and the addition of the Dove of Peace in the Land of Peace and Harmony, elements not present in United States' versions. In Act Two, 10-feet-tall Russian puppets add to this special version of the ballet.

Russian folk character Ded Moroz, aka Father Christmas, escorts Masha (Clara in the American version), performed by award-winning ballerina, Olga Kifyak, who is partnered by the Nutcracker Prince, danced by Viktor Shcherbakov. The Russian version includes Ded Moroz's daughter, Snegurochka, also known as the Snow Maiden.

Act Two opens with the Dove of Peace scene, with two dancers with a wing span of 20 feet escorting Masha and her Nutcracker Prince to the land of Peace and Harmony (Land of Sweets in U.S. versions).

The Dove of Peace is danced by Sergey Chumakov and Elena Petrachenko.The pair performs the Arabian Variation, as well, exhibiting acrobatic skills in this astonishing duet. Natalia Miroshnyk performs the Chinese Variation.

The choreography is by Anatoly Emeilianov, who completed it in 2003.

The dancers are trained in the Russian style of ballet called the Vaganova technique. The masterful and astute teacher Agrippina Vaganova developed a comprehensive and codified syllabus that established a new era in ballet education starting in the 1920s.