There was a weird period there where America was actually forced to steal its pop culture ideas from the rest of the world, what with Millionaire and Big Brother and Survivor and all. Now that we’ve closed the reality show gap, however, we can go back to imposing our entertainment on the rest of the world. To wit: a Russian version of High School Musical.

Russia! summarizes the plot thusly:

The film follows Tanya (played by Russian pop singer Yulia Savicheva), a puckish ballet talent strained under the tutelage of her demanding mother, a dance teacher at the beleaguered local arts center. The Soviet-built center is scheduled for demolition in favor of a more profitable entertainment complex. Enter the owner’s son, Sasha. Sasha is a sensitive heartthrob who plays soccer, but also loves to dance. What are the odds? Tanya and Sasha make out, sing a song, and hatch a plan to save the arts center with a high-energy modern dance routine. Heartache, triumph, and a battle-of-the-sexes soccer match ensue.

We could call it more Eastern Bloc piracy, but the film (entitled First Love: Now That’s Music!) is the responsibility of one of HSM’s own producers and composers. So it’s just regular ol’ cultural imperialism. Enjoy whatever horrible version of Zanessa results, your poor Ruskies!

Eurasia Prepares For Influx Of Dancing, Histrionic Teens [Russia!]