FROM Russia with love comes the Australian premiere tour of “Kostroma”, a spectacular, high-energy dance production that conjures up the Arctic north, the southern Steppes, the peaks of the Caucasus and the depths of Siberia.

Named after the place of its birth and the cradle of the Romanov Dynasty, an ancient Russian town situated on the Volga River, the company has astonished audiences worldwide with its refined style of Russian traditional dance combined with elements of folklore and ancient Russian epic with a tinge of Soviet and contemporary Russia.

In “Kostroma” the culture of Russia is represented through images of mother, wife, daughter, son, husband and warrior.

But this is no domestic-scale presentation, with 45 elite dancers on stage, masterly technique, outstanding acting performances, 15 ‘reincarnations’, 10 tonnes of freight, 600 costumes, 300 items of props and eight set changes.

Russian National Dance Kostroma was founded in the early 1990s and aims to capture “the imagination, the passion, the humour and the magic of Russia.”

“Kostroma”, at the Canberra Theatre, 7.30pm tomorrow, Friday October 24, Bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.