ALISON CROOSE King's Lynn Corn Exchange

ALISON CROOSE

King's Lynn Corn Exchange

Russian skating stars returned to Norfolk to thrill audiences with another superb ice-dance spectacular.

After the huge impact of Cinderella last year, could they do it again? The answer was a resounding Yes as the world-famous ice stars staged their most lavish production.

Amid the opulent costumes, impressive lighting and specially-commissioned music, the exciting and innovative choreography shone out like a beacon, enabling a highly-talented team to showcase their talents.

No surprise, then, that the show's choreographer and artistic director was Giuseppe Arena, who choreographed the opening ceremony of the recent Winter Olympics.

The fairytale story opened in balletic style. However, when the action moved to the forest it achieved greater impact by switching from sedate to sprightly skating as two enchanting, dancing ducks and seven woodcutters added another dimension to the entertainment.

The shining star was Olga Pershankova in the title role surrounded by two dozen highly-talented skaters. But this was not just a display of superlative skating, for the cast also featured Olympic rhythmic gymnastic gold medallist Ioulia Barsukova plus breathtaking aerial ballet.

The extended stage-turned-ice rink provided the setting for an extravaganza par excellence.