The Royal's Alina Cojocaru

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Instead of getting the dog she dreamed of for Christmas, Alina Cojocaru received a bonsai tree from her boyfriend and partner, Johan Kobborg. Like the bonsai, Cojocaru is petite, but her unique talents have led her to grow in artistic stature to great heights. Her rise to fame is the stuff that dreams are made of. As a corps member, she stepped in with five days' notice to learn the role created by Margot Fonteyn in Symphonic Variations. The buzz at the premiere meant that she wouldn't be hidden in the corps for long. Again she came to the rescue in the role of Juliet for another injured ballerina. Three months later, as a soloist, her Giselle left the audience dabbing their eyes and …