Masked against coronavirus, Shanghai's ballet dancers pirouette and plie

Shanghai Ballet dancers wearing masks practise in a dance studio in Shanghai, China, as the country is hit by an outbreak of the novel coronavirus, February 20, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Ten ballet dancers train at a barre, straightening their lithe limbs and standing on their toes to the accompaniment of a classical pianist.

This could be any regular day at the Shanghai Ballet Company - one of China's top troupes, founded in 1979 - except that everyone in the room is wearing a mask due to the coronavirus.