Grace under pressure: Bolshoi Prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova

Updated 1003 GMT (1803 HKT) September 21, 2012

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Russian ballerina Svetlana Zakharova: "When I prepare myself -- do the makeup, warm up my body -- I am highly nervous. But then there is some courage, some excitement in it too." CNN

Svetlana Zakharova: "In order to become a prima ballerina it is a lot of work, and a lot of strength and time -- and a lot of emotions are spent to achieve it." AFP/Getty Images

Svetlana Zakharova: "At first, it took me a few years to get used to the ballet -- my child's body was not ready to handle such loads." CNN

Svetlana Zakharova: "When you have been performing the same ballets for many years, the movements become automatic. You practically do not think about the order, about where to run to or what movement to make." AFP/Getty Images

Svetlana Zakharova: "On stage, lamps shine from different sides ... it is like sunlight, and suddenly you become hot just because of it. And sometimes lamps shine in such a way that you do not see where you are going to, as if you have your eyes closed." AFP/Getty Images