Eifman Ballet

Mer and I took her mom to the premiere of Boris Eifman's Anna Karenina at UC Berkeley last night.

Truly, I'm speechless.

How do I describe the inspiration, the beauty, the intoxication of the ballet?

Widely considered Russia's greatest living choreographer, Boris Eifman founded his own company, the Leningrad Ballet Ensemble, almost 30 years ago, and quietly revolutionized Soviet dance by devising his own imaginative and inimitable style — fusing ballet's emotion and expressiveness with the storytelling techniques of 20th-century theater and film.

The audience, mostly Russians with a smattering of intellectuals and Bay Area literati, was enthralled. Set to Tchaikovsky and some original music of their own design, this premiere was like a gift to us. I ran into some local Russian folks who were visiting Macromedia yesterday, and we connected over this gift: "Most people will never understand," they said.

If you have the means, don't pass up the opportunity. Open your mind, and go to the Eifman ballet.