Ballet dancers perform in Nacho Duato's The Nutcracker at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, on November 20, 2015. #

Ballet soloist Valeria Zapasnikova lies exhausted on the floor during a rehearsal in St. Petersburg on November 19, 2015. #

Ballet dancers perform during a rehearsal of The Nutcracker on November 18, 2015. #

Ballet soloist Sergey Strelkov rehearses at the Mikhailovsky Theatre on November 17, 2015. #

A ballet dancer reacts to the music as she fixes her pointe shoe during a rehearsal of The Nutcracker on November 19, 2015. #

Principal dancer Angelina Vorontsova leaps during a practice at Mikhailovsky Theatre on November 18, 2015. #

A worker freshens up the decorations for Nacho Duato's ballet, The Nutcracker at the Mikhailovsky theatre on November 20, 2015. #

Ballet soloist Valeria Zapasnikova breathes into one of her pointe shoes to warm it up before a rehearsal in St. Petersburg on November 20, 2015. #

A dancer watches from backstage during a rehearsal on November 20, 2015. #

A dancer relaxes backstage at the Mikhailovsky Theatre on November 21, 2015. #

Conductor Igor Tomashevsky directs the orchestra during a rehearsal for Nacho Duato's The Nutcracker at the Mikhailovsky theatre on November 19, 2015. #

A dancer stretches backstage on November 21, 2015. #

The Mikhailovsky Theatre, as final preparations take place for Nacho Duato's presentation of The Nutcracker in St. Petersburg on November 20, 2015. #

Theatre attendees walk up a staircase of the Mikhailovsky Theatre on November 21, 2015. #

People take their seats before the start of The Nutcracker at the Mikhailovsky Theatre on November 21, 2015. #

Musicians rehearse with conductor Igor Tomashevskyat the Mikhailovsky Theatre on November 20, 2015. #

Ballet dancers perform on November 20, 2015. #

Dancers perform onstage during Nacho Duato's The Nutcracker on November 21, 2015. #

Dancers perform in The Nutcracker at the Mikhailovsky Theatre on November 21, 2015. #

Principal dancer Ivan Zaytsev performs on November 21, 2015. #

Dancers perform at the Mikhailovsky Theatre on November 21, 2015. #

A man sweeps the stage after a performance of The Nutcracker at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in St. Petersburg on November 21, 2015. #