Following David Bintley through the corridors of the cavernous New National Theatre, Tokyo — where he is the artistic director of the National Ballet of Japan — is a bit like following Moses across the Red Sea.
Dancers slouched here and there with their mobile phones, iPods or books jump up to attention and step back to let him pass.
"Ohayō gozaimasu (Good morning)," they say, their faces bursting into smiles.