A Russian ballet group and the traditional story of Cinderella will fuse together tonight to kick off the Center for the Performing Arts' spring semester performances.

"There is no question in my mind this is going to be an extremely high-quality performance with outstanding dancers," said George Trudeau, director of the Center for the Performing Arts.

The State Ballet Theatre of Russia will perform its full-length production of the Cinderella ballet at 7:30 tonight at the Eisenhower Auditorium. Tickets are $20 for University Park students, $37 for adults and $24 for ages 18 and younger.

This performance of Cinderella will be the first by the Center for the Performing Arts for the spring semester.

"We do pride ourselves on a strong program of dance performances," Trudeau said. "We endeavor to bring a ballet company for the students and public to enjoy."

He said he has some personal knowledge about the company and feels confident people will enjoy the performance.

"I've seen the State Ballet Theatre of Russia several years ago at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center," Trudeau said. "The true test is whether they can make a connection with the audience. The audience was totally engaged."

The members of the group are no strangers to eclectic audiences, Igor Levin, U.S. manager of the State Ballet Theatre of Russia, said.

On this tour alone the troupe will have been through Florida, Georgia and then Penn State, he said. Many of the members of the ballet company are traveling through America without the ability to speak English, Levin said.

"The audiences have been warm," Svetlana Noskova, the leading role in Cinderella, said through a translator. "Sometimes they even whistle. People are always smiling when the dancers are on stage."

Levin made a point to stress the importance of the choreography in this production.

"The production is choreographed by the legendary dancer Vladimir Vasiliev," Levin said.

Vasiliev is known to international ballet fans as the "God of dance" and is the only dancer to be titled "World's Best Dancer" by the Paris Dance Academy, according to the Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College's Web site.

The lead dancer, Noskova, has a strong background in ballet along with a personal connection to the role of Cinderella.

"I have played the role of Cinderella before and find that we do have some things in common," Noskova said through a translator. "We are both kind-hearted and caring. When I'm on stage performing, I feel as Cinderella does at the ball."

Adding to the list of commonalities between the two she said, "In my life, I have met my prince."

Laura Sullivan, director of marketing and communications at the Center for the Performing Arts, said such choreography should be well appreciated at Penn State.

"People will look forward to the traditional aspects of the productions as well as the familiar music and wonderful dance," Sullivan said. "Dance is an international, universal language."

She added families and college-age people can enjoy the ballet.

"It's also a great date night," Sullivan said, saying men can prove their sophistication by inviting a woman to see a ballet.

"A guy might be interested in impressing the ladies," she said. "What better way to express that you're culturally aware and not afraid to attend a ballet. Instead of going to a wrestling match, go to the ballet."

Sullivan and Trudeau agreed, however, that women may be more interested in the production.

"Many young women can have a connection to ballet as an art form and appreciate the opportunity to see a world-class ballet company right at your doorstep," Trudeau said.

Ballet performances are successful at Penn State, Trudeau added, saying he expects the Cinderella production to be just as popular.

"We have the strongest student response with ballets," Trudeau said. "Ballet companies tend to gather the highest percentage of student attendance."