St Petersburg Ballet Theatre’s spirit is alive and well as it currently tours the UK. Last Monday they stopped off in Town for their annual visit to the Royal Albert Hall and danced Swan Lake with a new set up of vast crimson curtains stretching across the arena. It certainly helped create an illusory proscenium presentation for this excellent company, faithfully returning in its eleventh year to an increasingly appreciative British audience.

Looking technically sharper and with a scattering of talented new recruits, this company’s spirit is irresistible to any dance lover, welded together as they are by a common love of the art of dance. A remarkable achievement of dedication and gut wrenching hard work for a company that started out a decade ago as a small cabaret group.

The responsibilities on the shoulders of world class ballerina, Irina Kolesnikova, a huge talent heading a small vulnerable company, are immense and she returned to her signature role, Odette/Odile, too soon after a month’s illness. Nevertheless in spite of an obvious general weakness, her natural co ordination, perfect proportions and astounding technique delivered a master class of schooling and soul.

Schooling was also an impressive ingredient of company newcomer Dmitry Lysenko’s performance. Though tending to drift irritatingly behind the beat in the Act I pas de trois, and when leading the Neapolitan in the Act III Ballroom, the finish and precise execution of each step he danced was a joy to watch. SPBT tours the UK until February – a must see.