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A Russian prima ballerina known for portraying the fleeting final moments of a dying swan and an acrobatic New York youth dance troupe that dodges swinging cinder blocks and "flies" through glass like action heroes are adding some muscle to the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, presented by Bell, wh ich starts in just 64 days.

The 36 new Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad projects announced today include: Passion of Russia starring famed ballerina Uliana Lopatkina in her Canadian debut and viola master Yuri Bashmet in an evening marrying music and ballet from the Host Nation of the 2014 Winter Games, a soulful double-bill of R&B crooners Raphael Saadiq and India.Arie, as well as Phoenix, an alternative rock outfit from France with early links to Daft Punk. For those more interested in seeing the riskier side of show business, STREB's dancers will perform acrobatic and show-stopping jumps, falls and live action dance stunts using found materials and bizarre contraptions in Raw.

"Amazing feats of athleticism at the 2010 Winter Games won't be restricted to the snow and ice - they'll also be on our stages throughout the Games region as some of the world's premiere dancers, actors and musicians join our cultural celebrations," said Burke Taylor, vice president of culture and celebrations for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).

"Strength is often found by exploring vulnerability and taking risks, and the artists involved in our Cultural Olympiad are known for pushing the limits - both physically and artistically - in incredibly exciting and rewarding ways for the audience," he continued.

Starting in January, international visitors and locals alike will also encounter contemporary art by simply stepping out their door and walking through downtown Vancouver as they happen upon one of the most visible Cultural Olympiad projects - Endlessly Traversed Landscapes - featuring large-scale versions of dozens of works of art by Canadians on transit shelters, the SkyTrain and other public spaces.

The festival of music, theatre, visual arts, dance, and digital programming kicks off January 22, 2010 in Metro Vancouver and British Columbia's Sea to Sky corridor. Tickets and information are available on all 186 projects announced to date at www.vancouver2010.com/culturalolympiad.

"Having the Cultural Olympiad here is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - it's not like typical festivals," added Robert Kerr, the Cultural Olympiad's program director. "We're bringing together literally thousands of some of the best musicians, dancers, actors, and artists from all across the cultural sphere, from Canada and around the world, to create something of a magnitude that has not been seen here before. It will be new, it will be breathtaking and it will be memorable for everyone who shares in it."

The new projects added today are Artcirq and LunarFest: Soul, Art, Life under Circus/Street Arts; Majumder/Cullen/Payne: Laugh it Out! under Comedy; The National Dance Company of Korea: The Scent of Spring under Dance; Amir Koushkani and Rahim AlHaj, CODE Live Night Life: Bell Orchestre Presents: Sound and Screen, Damien Robitaille, Mes Aïeux, Moscow State Chamber Choir, The Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Project, Nathan and The Deep Dark Woods, Paul Plimley Solo/Trio, Porn Flakes, Radio Radio, Soir de Semaine, Tanya Tagaq: Tuusalangna, Umalali: The Garifuna Women's Project, Yelo Molo under Music catergory.