Corn, Vegas glitz spur vibrant Siberian troupe

A cross between the Rockettes, a Minnie Pearl impersonators convention and the Marx Brothers, Krasnoyarsk National Dance Company of Siberia -- 80 members strong -- whooped, whistled, smiled, spun and squat-kicked up a storm at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on Wednesday in the first of three consecutive Southland performances. Who knew that Siberia was the corn(ball) belt of Russia, giving rise to a Natasha-and-Boris-let’s-put-on-a-show sensibility?

Founded in 1960, the troupe, now under the artistic direction of Nikolai Goroshevsky, seems to be taking cues from Las Vegas and Branson, Mo. Although the evening began with promise -- a lively 12-piece onstage band, stalwartly conducted by Victor Muss, provided a rhythmic and textural pulse -- the choreography ultimately disintegrated into kitsch and overkill.

Dozens of beautifully gliding women (all blond, by the way) enchanted in “My Siberia,” “Round Dance at the Well” and “Siberian Lyrical Dance,” with precision line formations trumping their glitzy garb.

The men, too, proved agile and buoyant in the Siberian numbers, but the lively “Cossack Dance” forayed into unfortunate bouts of frenzied saber-fighting.

“Gypsy Dance” was also pleasing, with the women’s arched backs and shimmying shoulders giving way to kaleidoscopic patterns of swirling skirts. Feathers flew -- literally -- in the lunatic “Farm Yard,” as both men and women donned sequined gear representing roosters, chickens and hens in a clucking, arm-flapping scenario.

“Yenisey River Workers,” a surreal tableau (think “Riverdance” via the Volga), vaguely brought to mind Gene Kelly in “On the Town,” with dancers tapping their hearts out in sailor outfits and straw hats to Fellini-esque music.

Approaching the nadir: “Dance With Spoons and Birch Bark,” complete with a Harpo Marx whistling and girl-chasing sequence, and “Country,” an inexplicable finale akin to a hoedown, as gingham-clad women executed fouettes and men in suspenders went hog wild with no-handed cartwheels, barrel turns and break-dancing moves preposterously set to plucked banjo fare.

Whether it was folk dancing or just folks dancing, the mostly older audience, nevertheless, loved it.

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Krasnoyarsk Dance Company

Where: Marsee Auditorium, El Camino College,

16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance

When: Tonight at 8

Price: $24 and $28

Contact: (310) 329-5345