The Pitsanger fitness ensemble: Steph, Maria and Kash were up early for the dress rehearsal of Tchaikovsky's greatest ballets: Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. Given the weather, the performance could have been renamed into Swan Puddle and the Mudcracker.

The trio in tutus entered the Café Berry stage to find out they had an audience: faithful balletomane Harvey! Neither rain nor a Newcastle match would stop him from showing up to applaud his ballerina friends!

After the unassuming entrée, the dancers threw themselves into a series of spirited allegros.

Jumping jacks
Crab walks
Jumps with hands up
Curtsy lunges
180-degree twist jump
Front kicks
Single-leg jumps and pirouettes
Front lunges
Side-side-side touch-the-ground jumps
Back lunges with kicks
Cross jacks
Side-to-side squats

Harvey gave them a standing ovation and requested encore. So the ballerinas repeated their whole choreography.

I am speechless! - Harvey.

The Swan Trio concluded the repertoire with gentle stretches, complete with arabesques as a fitting finale!