Russian choreographer Boris Eifman has celebrated a double anniversary: the maestro has turned 60 and his troupe has been on stage for 30 years. Eifman was the first in Russia to found a company which broke the rules of classic ballet.

Its outstanding choreography has earned Eifman recognition and praise.

High ticket prices didn't stop the ballet lovers from coming to see the special concert – “Grand Ballet Gala”, bringing together the pieces of Eifman's best ballets, which have always attracted both praise and criticism.

The performance featured guest stars from the Bolshoi and Mariinski ballets.

The Bolshoi theatre prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, who danced a four-minute piece from “Red Gizelle” at the gala performance, says even for her that was no easy job.

“His choreography is always interesting – and always complicated. There are no duos like this one in classical ballet,” remarked the ballet dancer.

Eifman's company still doesn't have a theatre of it own – but the dancers do not seem to care. Each year they stage a new ballet. The last one – in January – was Anton Tchekhov's “Seagull”, which is now running in Moscow and will soon travel to the United States.

“In this work I wanted to prove – mostly to myself – that the best things are still in the future,” says Boris Eifman.

After the Moscow premiere, the “Grand Ballet Gala” will be shown in capitals throughout Europe.