Back in January this year, it became clear that a new generation of star dancers was emerging at the Royal Ballet. Yuhui Choe and Sergei Polunin began the season in the corps de ballet, but they were pushed into the limelight in a sensational one-off performance as the leads in the full-length ballet La bayadère. It showcased her radiant, delicate grace and his space-devouring jumps. They were immediately pegged for rapid promotion and meaty roles. “I was shocked when I heard what I was dancing,” says Choe, who was born to Korean parents in Japan, “but I was ready for it.”

The choreographer Wayne McGregor then cast another kid from the corps, Northern Ireland’s Melissa Hamilton, in the electric premiere of his new piece, Infra, pairing her with the American Eric Underwood. She’s elegant but amazingly supple; he has raw strength but is superbly elastic — a great combination. Brian Maloney, another American, reflective in conversation, unleashes a crackerjack attack in the virtuoso character roles. They have focus and fizz in equal measure, and audiences respond to their fresh charisma.

It’s easy to forget that, though ridiculously talented, they’re also ridiculously young: Polunin is just 19. Much is expected of them, and the new Royal Ballet season offers them shiny opportunities. Underwood and Hamilton should make a fierce pairing in the modern choreographer Balanchine’s Agon, while Choe and Polunin lay claim to the classical repertory (he’s first up, as Sleeping Beauty’s prince). Polunin is also unashamedly ambitious. Noting that Nureyev was famous for a voracious repertory of 250 roles, the young Ukrainian admits: “I’d like to some day beat that record — that would be a challenge.”

SERGEI POLUNIN 19, Ukrainian

When did you know dance was your life? From four years old, I did gymnastics. At nine, I joined a professional ballet school in Kiev. I’d never seen ballet, I just enjoyed being with the other kids.

Best quality? Jumping came naturally — I’m lucky.

Which trait would you borrow from one of the others? Melissa has amazing feet, Eric has a good muscle structure, Yuhui has an amazing pirouette technique.

Worst injury? When I just started, I had a lot of injuries to my knees, because I was jumping and growing. In my last year at the Royal Ballet School, I broke my fifth metatarsal landing from a jeté — and then I found out I’d got a job here.

Worst criticism? At ballet school, I was the best in class from the beginning, but a couple of the boys around me would say: “You should stop now.” I wasn’t competitive, I was always the best.

What’s on your iPod? Could be opera, or rap, or Frank Sinatra. There’s everything on it — from 50 Cent to Whitney Houston.

If not dance? At ballet school I liked football, so that was a temptation. Every time I played, I would get injured — you use completely different muscles.

BRIAN MALONEY 29, American

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