Photo Gallery: Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Mary Kathryn Walsh, left, and Mariam Panasyan distribute tickets to customers for the "Territory of Jazz" performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.

Mary Kathryn Walsh, left, and Mariam Panasyan distribute tickets to customers for the “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.   (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Choreographer Valery Tereshkin had a very long day ahead of him as he sat in a hotel lobby in Glendale this week. Just days before, his Russian Jazz Ballet had performed “Territory of Jazz” at the Alex Theatre, dancing to popular songs from the likes of Duke Ellington, Harry Connick Jr. and Prince. Now he was prepared for the 20-hour flight back to Moscow, then another four hours farther east to Krasnoyarsk and home.

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Mary Kathryn Walsh distributes tickets to customers for the “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Guests arrive at the Alex Theatre to watch the “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.   (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Albert Gonzalez, left, takes Alaris Treat’s ticket for the “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Jazz dancers Tatiana Dmukh, left, and Kirill Panfilov perform during “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Jazz dancers Yana Bretavskaya, from left, Anna Privalikhina and Irina Sudyankova perform during “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012  (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Guests watch zazz dancers perform during the “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Jazz dancers perform during “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.   (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Kiera Victorien, 18, left, and her mother, Lisa, rush to the theatre before the “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.   (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Albert Gonzaelz, from third left, takes Elizabeth Popper’s ticket before the “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Guests arrive for the “Territory of Jazz” performance, which took place at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012  (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Jazz dancers Anastasia Popova, from left, and Anna Privalikhina perform during “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.   (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Guests arrive for the “Territory of Jazz” performance, which took place at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.   (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Jazz dancer Irina Ganieva performs during “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.   (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)

Jazz Ballet of Valery Tereshkin performs at the Alex Theatre

Jazz dancers Alexandra Danilovich, from left, Olga Kolesnikova and Tatiana Dmukh perform during “Territory of Jazz” performance at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Friday, December 28, 2012.  (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)