The story

Monica Mason joined the Royal Ballet in 1958 at the age of 16, becoming the youngest member of the Company at that time. Ten years later she was promoted to principal dancer. She has been director of the Royal Ballet since 2002. Here she gives CNN her assessment of Tetsuya Kumakawa prodigious talents.

CNN: When did you first see Kumakawa dance?

Monica Mason: I first saw him dance when he was a student at the Royal Ballet School. I think everybody recognized that he was a very talented young person -- very gifted, bold, very brave, full of mischief. I think, sometimes, naughty people are very talented too. Teddy certainly was. Read full article »