never going to work, said Duato. That this mixture is just like a bomb, an atomic bomb. But he made me feel that Let's try, let's do it. Why not ? Maybe we can do it. Bringing a modern approach to ballet in Russia, where it's ingrained in the culture might daunt some, but it's a task Duato is relishing. It's not a pressure. It's a pleasure. It really is a pleasure to be in a place where ballet -LRB- has been -RRB- part of the cultural tradition for -LRB- such a -RRB- long time, and at the same time they want to break through and do new things, Duato said. Duato has set himself a challenging schedule, hand-picking three dancers to create a ballet so new it does n't even have a name yet. They have just weeks before the world premiere. Principal dancer Ekaterina Borchenko is the jewel in the Mikhailovsky's Imperial crown. The company's star ballerina has danced the principal roles in productions of classical ballets including Swan Lake, Giselle and La Sylphide. Now, she's relishing the chance to stretch her skills. In this repertoire, I can show a different side of myself, express myself differently and find something new in me, she said. Opening night will be a litmus test of just how receptive Russians are to this new direction. Duato believes ballet is a living organism, which needs to evolve constantly in order to keep the audience interested. It's a philosophy he shares