“Don Quixote”, “Carmen Suite” and “Nutcracker” are among the greatest ballets, popular with fans all over the world. Viewers enjoy the beauty and glory of the ballet universe,perhaps unaware that a ballerinas’ precise pirouettes and elegant steps are the result of many hours of exhaustive training and rehearsal. It takes a lifetime of hard work and dedication to prove themselves worthy of a major role. However, only very few are destined to perform solo parts, the rest will continue to dance in the corps de ballet.

Real life for a ballerina is a long way from the fairytale roles they depict on stage. Young girls spend many hours in tough training and endless castings to show off their perfect form and talent. From childhood they devote their lives to a professional path through ballet academies, shut away from family and friends.

They have no personal time, their days are given over to endless practice from early morning to late at night. In addition to a harsh training schedule and permanent diet, many talented young dancers must contend with cruel whispers and taunting giggles from jealous rivals. However stamina and a strong will help them to pursue their dream of dancing solo on the world-famous Bolshoi and Mariinsky stages.

Being a professional ballet dancer demands real strength and fitness in both mind and body. Russia’s most famous and celebrated prima ballerina, Diana Vishneva, knows firsthand, the real cost of achieving success and adoration from an audience.

RT Doc lifts the veil on the ballet world and meets the young girls who sacrifice the best of their lives to the art of classical dance.