On January 18, 19, and 22, the ballet company performs in an all-Kirov extravaganza along with the Kirov Orchestra and Kirov Opera. The ballet program includes Fokine's The Dying Swan, Balanchine's La Valse, and the pas de deux from Petipa's Le Corsaire. The opera company will perform scenes from Tchaikovksy's Queen of Spades and Rimsky-Korsakov's Tsar's Bride and Sadko.

Valery Gergiev, who has been at the helm of the Mariinsky Theatre and artistic director of the opera company, ballet, and orchestra since 1996, will conduct the "Kirov Spectacular," as well as leading the opera in performances of Mussorgsky's Boris Gudnov January 21-23.

The Kirov Ballet appears as part of the Kennedy Center's ballet season, which also features appearances by American Ballet Theatre (February 1-13), New York City Ballet (March 2-6), and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet (June 22-26). The Kirov Ballet returns July 5-10 with its production of Le Corsaire, with choreography by Pyotr Gusev, based on Marius Petipa's 1863 version.