NextVR partners with Moscow Ballet to offer Great Russian Nutcracker performances in Virtual Reality

In Virtual Reality News

December 2, 2019 –  NextVR has announced that it is partnering with Moscow Ballet for the second year in a row to offer performances of Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker in virtual reality.

NextVR’s VP of Content, Danny Keens, commented: “Virtual Reality is changing the way people experience live events and giving ballet fans the opportunity to be part of an immersive audience for this show is at the very core of what we do best at NextVR.” He added, “This magnificent ballet ensemble is a unique experience in VR and it was a no brainer to create this experience for our fans during the holidays.”

Moscow Ballet’s North American Tour Producer, and founder of Talmi Entertainment, Akiva Talmi, echoed Keens’ sentiment acknowledging the use of VR in ballet has the opportunity to present the performing arts to new audiences: “Moscow Ballet and NextVR’s pioneering technology have expanded the audience experience. We are changing and expanding the way children and families around the world will experience this art form.”

Talmi added that he hopes to one day expand Moscow Ballet’s virtual reality repertory to include performances of The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Gisele, Coppelia, La Bayadere and Cinderella. Talmi said: “The traditions and culture of these classics won’t change, but the way audiences interact with them will, and it’s important that Moscow Ballet continues its mission of presenting the beauty of ballet to as many people possible.”

Fans will have the opportunity to tune in to two live VR performances of the Great Russian Nutcracker. The show will premiere on Thursday, December 19 at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and air again as a live encore on Monday, December 25 at 6 p.m. Pacific Time. Both airings will be available on Oculus Go and Oculus Quest only in the NextVR application, as well as Oculus Venues. Following the December 25 performance, the show will be available on demand in the NextVR application on Oculus GearVR, Oculus Go, Oculus Rift and Oculus Quest. The performance will appear on all NextVR platforms from January 19, 2020.

In October, Moscow Ballet ballerina Anna Trofimova participated in a motion capture session with ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. Her dance movements were tracked using sensors placed on her body and those movements will become part of the Interaction Design Department’s library of body movements for students to study.

“Thanks to Motion Capture we are able to reach a new level of understanding to how our body works while we are dancing. This technology makes it possible to study all details deeply and bring your dance closer to perfection,” Trofimova said.

Image credit: NextVR/Moscow Ballet

About the author

Sam Sprigg

Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.