THE stunning dance company that is the Russian State Ballet of Siberia, with live accompaniment of the Russian State Ballet Orchestra of Siberia, will be returning to the UK for a major tour from the beginning in January, soon stopping off in Southend.

Productions of the Snow Maiden and Sleeping Beauty will arrive at the Cliffs Pavilion, Westcliff, in January and March.

Formed in 1981, the Russian State Ballet of Siberia has become established as one of Russia’s leading ballet companies.

Under the artistic directorship of Sergei Bobrov, leading dancers from across Russia have performed an expanding repertoire of new works and productions of timeless classics. The company comprises over 40 dancers and 30 musicians.

Sergei Bobrov said: “It is always a pleasure to bring the unique traditions of Russian Ballet to British audiences. Touring across the UK with a full company of dancers as well as highly skilled musicians is always exciting; for me, it is very special to have the power of a symphony orchestra bringing the choreography to life on stage. I am delighted to present my new staging of the Snow Maiden for the very first time.”

Principal dancer Anna Fedosova describes her life as a ballerina.

How old are you?

I am 20 years old.

Where were you born in Russia?

I was born in Perm, the oldest Russian city in the Western Urals.

At what age did you start dancing and when did you join the Russian State Ballet of Siberia?

I started dancing at the age of ten when I went to ballet school. I joined the Russian State Ballet of Siberia two years ago after graduating from ballet school.

When at your Krasnoyarsk base what does your working day consist of? For example what time do you get up, how many hours do you spend at the ballet company and what does your training involve?

I get up at 8am, get myself ready for the work, have a little breakfast and go to theatre. At theatre I start training for about one hour and then my rehearsals start. I have a break in the middle of the day and then again rehearsals.

How many hours sleep do you like to get?

Usually I need eight hours to get good sleep.

What kind of diet do you have to keep fit?

I do not have to eat too much sweet and pastry.

What do you do to relax in your spare time when you are not practicing?

I prefer to relax resting at home and reading magazines, also I try to get more sleep if I can. I like to walk in the river bank when I have spare time.

Have you toured the UK before? If so how many times and what do you like about British culture?

I toured once in UK and I liked to be in England very much. I do not know much about British culture but everything I have seen was very advanced and versatile.

Can you describe what a typical day on tour involves?

I get up early in the morning and have my breakfast which I prepare the day before, then get ready for going outside and go for a walk . Then I travel to theatre and start doing ballet class, after that there is rehearsal, a short time to get ready for performance and then show starts. I will be performing in all ballets on the tour.

How long does it take you to prepare for a performance and do you have a specific warm-up and warm-down procedure before and after each performance?

Normally I need half an hour to warm myself up before going on stage and I do warm up in my special way, flexing and stretching legs and arms. I also need to keep my muscles warm between rehearsals and between acts and I use wool warmers and sweaters.