The Wider Image: Behind the scenes of "The Nutcracker" ballet
Ballet soloist Valeria Zapasnikova blows into one of her pointe shoes to warm it up before a rehearsal of "The Nutcracker" choreographed by Nacho Duato at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia November 20, 2015. For theatregoers in St Petersburg, Nacho Duato's "The Nutcracker" demonstrates the global appeal of a Christmas classic. When the curtain rises at the Mikhailovsky Theatre, among the oldest opera and ballet houses in Russia, it's the culmination of hundreds of hours of toil and sweat by dancers, costume makers, set designers and musicians playing the famous score by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor PICTURE 16 OF 31 - SEARCH "DUKOR NUTCRACKER" FOR ALL IMAGES