From a poor maiden to a mystical princess, the fairy tale of “Cinderella” comes to life Thursday at Stephens Auditorium.

Slightly different than the Disney version, this performance of “Cinderella” will not be presented with words, but rather experienced through movement, as the Moscow Festival Ballet presents its version of the classic tale.

“The audience gets a different perspective from the interaction of the dancers and Prokofiev’s music,” says Sara Barr, director of marketing for the Iowa State Center. “The ballet shows a more romantic side of this rags-to-riches story.”

A Cinderella in its own accord, the Moscow Festival Ballet is one of very few companies that still tours with full-length story ballets.

Not many companies are able to afford to travel internationally and be as acclaimed as the Moscow Festival Ballet, says Janice Baker, assistant professor of health and human performance.

However, this is the company’s second trip to Iowa State. In 2001 the group performed “Don Quixote.”

“ISU students should attend because it is a story ballet, making it very easy to watch and very palpable,” Baker says. “If it is anything like ‘Don Quixote,’ then we are in for a treat.”

The company got its start in 1989 after Sergei Radchenko left the Bolshoi Ballet and sought out his dream to blend members of the Bolshoi and Kirov Ballet Companies into a new independent company. He has remained the artistic director of the Moscow Festival Ballet ever since.

“The quality of performance that this troupe provides for our audience is one of the main reasons we have booked them for a return engagement,” Barr says.

Like most touring troupes that come to Stephens, the Moscow Festival Ballet is only in town for a day before traveling to its next destination, Barr says. However, while in Ames, the company will work with ISU students in a master ballet class at 4 p.m. Thursday.

“It is really awesome for students to be able to rub elbows with international professional dancers, even if it is just to observe how they carry themselves and see their amount of discipline,” Baker says.

The ballet technique class is open to students and will be held in 196 Forker Building, allowing people to observe the class if they do not want to participate, Baker says.

An interactive reader’s theater will also take place before “Cinderella.” At 7 p.m. Thursday, Ames area dance teacher Beth Clarke will be retelling the story of “Cinderella” in the Celebrity Caf‚ inside Stephens Auditorium, inviting children in the audience to take on the roles of the main characters.

“It’s always important for children to have performance experience,” Clarke says. “I think it is really important to take children to live performances to support the arts. It makes them more well-rounded and hopefully, as they become adults, they will continue to fight for the performing arts in their communities.”

Choreographed by Rostislav Zakharov, “Cinderella” is a three-act ballet and will be performed by more than 50 Russian dancers.

“It is truly amazing to see the dancers’ hard work and training come together in such an elegant performance,” Barr says. “Their strength and athleticism is simply astounding.”