At first glance it looked like a typical dance class — leotards, leg warmers and pink ballet shoes littered the Forker Hall ballet studio floor.

Fourteen students made their way to the bar to prepare for class, but as the teacher gave his welcome, it was in Russian.

Yuri Petukhov, artistic director of the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre, squeezed in a master class just hours before his world renown ballet company was about to perform “Romeo and Juliet” Thursday evening.

Petukhov quickly set the pace of the class, explaining each bar exercise only once before having students perform.

“It was definitely a little harder than the classes here, since he does come from a professional ballet company,” says Riannan Peterson, junior in performing arts.

“He was constantly moving on, pretty much plowing through the material.”

Although the class moved along quickly, Petukhov’s humor shined through. After he performed a more difficult combination, some nervous looks quickly filled the room.

“Don’t worry about it,” he says. “Just smile.”

“If I taught that fast, they’d be crying,” said Janice Baker, assistant professor of health and human performance.

Baker says she was just happy to be taking a class rather than teaching one.

Petukhov warmed the dancers up on the bar before working on multiple combinations and large leaps across the floor.

“It’s always good to take classes with someone different than you normally do,” Peterson says. “This is more advanced, but it’s great to have a challenge.”

Iowa State Center Outreach Coordinator Sara Compton says a master class is something they try to make possible when dance performances come to Stephens Auditorium.