“Now we have a school which would make 90 percent of European ballet schools envious,” says the director of the Bolshoi Ballet’s first school outside Russia – in Joinville, Brazil, of all places. Needless to say, the new school will abide the by the old Bolshoi’s legendary standards of rigorous training. “It’s not about putting on a tutu and pointe shoes and learning some classical positions. Only those who will be true to the cause will remain. We will be happy if we produce two top-level dancers – it will make the school worth existing.” – The Times of India (AP)