I-Dance, from Russia with love

ECHUCA-MOAMA dance lovers were spoilt rotten last week at I-Dance with two dance legends taking master classes at the studio.

Russian ballerina Elena Chebotar conducted five days of classes for the school’s ballet and contemporary students, telling the Riv she was blown away by the beauty of this town.

‘‘The students are quite ented, too,’’ she said.

‘‘We need to refine some technical skills but the basics are all there and they’re learning very quickly. tal-

‘‘They have been taught very well.’’

The former child star — who danced The Nutcracker on the stage of Russia’s Mariinsky Theatre at just 10 years old — migrated to Australia this year after years teaching in India and Indonesia.

By 14 she was performing Don Quixote and at 15, Giselle at the Mikhaylovsky Theatre.

With a toddler of her own and a PhD underway, Chebotar said her love of teaching had grown.

‘‘I want to share what I know with others and continue to be a part of the beautiful dancing world,’’ she said.

And whether you know him from So You Think You Can Dance, Celebrity Apprentice or his mega dance studios Ministry of Dance, most people recognise Jason Coleman’s name.

More than 40 I-Dance students had a go at his class — which he ran for free — on Sunday, after approaching principal Jacqui Kornmann directly.

‘‘We can’t believe he is here,’’ Ms Kornmann said.

‘‘We’re very lucky and all the students are so excited.’’