( CNN ) -- When I was eight , my mother enrolled me in ballet classes . I loved it . Every Saturday we would trek across town to the building that housed the big bright room with the large mirrors . We would sit in the waiting room with the other girls my age , all of us in our pink leotards and soft pink satin shoes , with our moms at our side . Once inside , we would be taught the most delicate of moves from first position to fourth . They were gentle and fun but I was impatient . I wanted to stand on my toes . I wanted to do the pointes and twirl . That was n't to be . After a mere three weeks , just three lessons , I told my mother I no longer wanted to continue . I told her it just was n't for me . What I did n't tell her was that they were n't teaching us what I thought ballet was all about : dancing on your toes . At eight , I naively thought I could do it ! My mother did n't force me but as I think back to that time , I wish she had . In some countries , ballet and the arts are part of the cultural DNA . In Russia , there is a great respect for the heritage and pride in what they do so well . The Bolshoi Ballet is considered the preeminent ballet company in the world and across Russia similar companies are religious about their art . In December , I was in St Petersburg where we hosted icon 's ballet edition . Seeing the inner workings of a ballet company and being backstage was such an eye-opening experience . We were fortunate enough to be in on a rehearsal as Nacho Duato , the Mikhailovsky Theatre 's new Artistic Director was choreographing his first dance with his three principal dancers . This was no ordinary rehearsal , and Duato 's appointment is no ordinary promotion . The Spaniard is the first foreigner to lead a major dance company in Russia since Frenchman Marius Petipa over a century ago . There are politics even in this seemingly serene artistic world . National companies compete to get the best dancers and directors and there is pressure to deliver a style of ballet that will bring audiences to theaters . There is also great debate over the merits of contemporary ballet versus the classics . Conventional wisdom says that the audience wants to see what they know : `` Swan Lake , '' `` The Nutcracker , '' `` La Sylphide '' are just a few examples of what usually sells . But there are artistic directors out there who feel the art of ballet is almost a living , breathing thing -- something that needs to evolve . Duato , is an avid supporter of contemporary ballet , so much so that he has made it is life 's work . His difficulty before arriving in Russia was the reluctance of some companies to move beyond the classics and into a new world of contemporary choreographed ballet . With the Mikhailovsky , he told me he found a good balance . He said , `` Nowadays you ca n't have a relevant company in the world that does n't do modern and classical at the same time ... It really is a pleasure to be in a place where ballet ( has been ) part of the cultural tradition for so long and at the same time they want to break through and do new things . '' When I watch a ballerina move , I covet her grace , but perhaps more than anything , I am in awe of her strength . Every move has purpose and precision . Every muscle is alert and ready to perform on command . What look like light steps and twirls take body control akin to a boxer waiting to take his next punch . Interestingly , some boxers look to ballet as part of their training , especially when it comes to moving their feet . It takes extreme discipline to move so lightly and so purposefully . Discipline that makes each move look easy . A dancer on a stage is the culmination of years of discipline and passion for perfection ; years in which each move and each sequence is like oxygen to the dancer ... something they ca n't or wo n't live without . Ballet is smooth and strong , pristine and powerful , romantic and riveting . Even if you 're not an avid fan , I 'm sure you 'll develop at the very least , respect for this most graceful of art forms where dancers bend their bodies in moves that would be painful for mere mortals , but that they make look so easy .
In Russia there is a great respect for the heritage of ballet . Mikhailovsky Theatre 's new Artistic Director is Nacho Duato . Duato is the first foreigner to lead a major dance company in Russia for over a century ago . There is a great debate over the merits of contemporary ballet versus those of the classics .