Fukuoka: the day of the performance has arrived. Class, rehearsals and spacing on stage so that the swans will find their way run quietly and smoothly. Purely coincidentally the National Sumo Wrestler Championships are taking place in Fukuoka at the same time as our stay – in the Convention Center right next to our theater. Many dancers take advantage of this unique opportunity and run next door the evening before and even in the afternoon break before the performance.
Photos: Roman Novitzky
View from the hotel room over Fukuoka
Physiotherapist Matthias Knop treats Elisa Badenes while Shaked Heller waits his turn
Marc Ribaud gives company class on stage. In the audience is Maki Fujita, graduate of the John Cranko School and former company member, with some of her ballet students who watch class and rehearsal and attend the performance in the evening. So nice to welcome an alumna of the company and hopefully inspire some young dancers
Alicia Amatriain und Friedemann Vogel in rehearsal. They will dance the very last performance in Nishinomiya
Alicia and Friedemann – pure emotion, even in rehearsal!
The Sumo Wrestler Championship in the Convention Center of the Sunpalace
Two wrestlers face off
Not just dancers are flexible!
The performance begins: Ami Morita, Aiara Iturrioz, Rocio Aleman, Fernanda De Souza Lopes and Agnes Su in the Pas de six
David Moore: every inch the prince!
Diana Ionescu stretches when and where she can!
Act two: Anna Osadcenko as Odette protects her swans
Anna and David
Soaring: Anna and David
Anna in the intermission
Conductor Wolfgang Heinz during the intermission
Quick change: Eva Holland-Nell and Anouk van der Weijde in the headpieces for the third act but still in swan tutus from the second act
Cameo: Our pianist Paul Lewis gets ready to go on stage as a super in the third act and gets lots of moral support from the dancers!
The disgruntled Princesses who have been rejected by the prince: Jessica Fyfe as the Russian Princess, Daiana Ruiz as the Spanish Princess, Diana Ionescu as the Hungarian Princess, Angelina Zuccarini and the Neopolitan Princess
Henrik Erikson as a Spanish nobleman
Daiana Ruiz as the Spanish Princess
Diana Ionescu as the Hungarian Princess with Fleming Puthenpurayil as her Cavalier
Matteo Crockard-Villa as an introspective Rothbart
The workplace of our stage manager Janis Vollert
Excitement during the income of the Shinkansen train – next stop Kobe!
Matteo Miccini finds barre alternatives even on the platform
The Stuttgart Ballet blog 