On his second-ever professional tour in Europe, dancer Naoki Takagishi fought through injuries as he worked with modern-dance choreographer Maurice Bejart for the first time.

"I was only 22 years old," Takagishi tells The Japan Times. "Mr. Bejart first saw me dance before the performance in a rehearsal. I was not yet accustomed to his style, and it is quite different in many ways to classical ballet. I dislocated my bones in three places."

Remembering the experience now, Takagishi chuckles — even while describing his "battle against pain." He successfully made it through all the performances, however, and by the time the tour ended in Italy, young ballet fans were chanting his name.