The Thursday night ended in a rapturous standing ovation when dozens of audience members rose to applaud the Moscow Festival Ballet at the Valley Performing Arts Center for their rendition of “Giselle”.

The two-act ballet tells the tale of a peasant girl named Giselle who falls in love with Count Albrecht, who she comes to believe is a villager name Loys. After learning that her lover is engaged to be married with another woman, broken hearted Giselle becomes overwhelmed with agony, ultimately killing herself. Summoned by her mother, a group of ghostly women called The Wilis, raise Giselle from her grave, targeting her lover for his death as they force him into an endless dance. But Giselle’s love conquers death and the Wilis fade away as dawn breaks. Surrendering her lover thus liberating her spirit to return to its grave.

There were moments of fury, serenity, and climax that were highlighted with classical rhythms from Adolphe Adams’ score. This score, is what made Giselle so prevalent and diverse from other ballets. For anyone who is familiar with the art, it was not common in the mid-19th century to utilize orchestral material for productions. This paved way for modern ballet culture today.

This captivating 2-hour performance had the audience on the edge of their seats within minutes of opening. It wasn’t until Act II, that the prima ballerina really stole the show with a 15 minute solo performance.

The interaction between dancers and audience was wonderful. The set and vibrant costumes added to the emotion and story. The dancers of the Moscow Festival Ballet spoke to the audience through the body, bringing down the house with a breathtaking performance.