I fully intended to write a story on Sir Frederick Ashton. After all, he made enchanting story ballets with staying power. I have never seen La Fille mal gardée (The Wayward Daughter), and now seemed like as good a time as any to dig deep into the Ashton magic. That was the plan until I sat down to watch a Houston Ballet rehearsal and witnessed a different story unfolding.

It was a full company call, including apprentices and Houston Ballet II, even the new crop of company babies gurgled about. The only thing missing was the company cat. Watching principals Amy Fote and Simon Ball being shadowed by up-and-comers Joseph Walsh and Emily Bowen, it occurred to me that the next batch of principals were probably in this very room; Houston Ballet's present and future merging in the same studio.

At the very same moment, the Ashton story bit the dust. The young maiden Lise must choose between a handsome poor farmer Colas, and the rich, but not-so-smart, Alain. It's a thin story, but story ballets work best that way. Chickens dance and there's lots of ribbons too.

Fote is at the top of her game, yet it's her first La Fille. Doesn't much matter, the lady knows her way around a story ballet. She one of those dancing actors who makes you glad dancers don't speak. There's tremendous detail, nuance and style to all that she does. Nestled in the back of the room, Bowen keeps a steady watch, marking the movements, while attending to the careful edges of Ashton's emotional architecture. Ball was already a principal at Boston Ballet when he switched teams to come to Houston. This is his third La Fille. He's all confidence and polish, leading man dreamy too. Walsh, nearby, seems already at home in the part, soaking in the Ashton perfume.

A company is an evolving entity. When the troupe returns to work after summer break, it will be a slightly different crop, the one that makes history moving into the Ballet's new Center for Dance building next spring. Dancers retire, have babies, move on to other careers, while new ones move up the ranks. But while they are all in the same room together, they learn from each other. That's how ballet's unique lineage passes from one generation of dancers to the next. Because of an oral and kinesthetic transfer of information between dancers, relationships among the company can be key. Ball testifies to that fact that Houston Ballet runs a tight family ship. "I have seen performances by well respected companies where you get the feeling that no one knows each other's name," says Ball. "Here we not only know one another's name, but our pets' name as well."

Fote came aboard in 2005, moving from principal at Milwaukee Ballet to first soloist at Houston Ballet. She earned her principal status quickly by 2006. For Fote, being a principal means remaining open to all the ideas around her. "It's a serious job. I am always learning, watching how one dancer does one thing, another may do something else that catches my eye," Fote says. "I was lucky, a Milwaukee principal took me under her wing, offering me ideas and tips."

Ball finds Houston Ballet's culture open to collective intelligence. "If I have a helpful hint to give one of the younger ladies or gentlemen, they know it's meant as constructive," says Ball. "I also have a hard time seeing anyone struggle with a role, and not offer advice. I guess that is the daddy in me."

La Fille is one prop-filled ballet, which can make it even tougher for newbies. Many a Lise and Colas have gotten tangled in a cat's cradle of ribbon.

"Most full-length ballets spare the principals the worry of dealing with props. Sure, the corps may pour drinks and carry dead animals, but the principals are usually left to just, well, dance. Here we have the principals doing variations with ribbons, sticks, bottles, butter churns, spinning wheels, and more ribbons," says Ball. "There are many prop pitfalls that I am able to help circumnavigate, saving time and sleepless nights for the newcomers to the roles."

Walsh first wowed me during his B team time at Houston Ballet II. He joined the company in 2007, snagged the Princess Grace Award in 2009 and recently rose to soloist. The boy wonder has enjoyed a slew of high profile roles, including Des Grieux in Sir Kenneth MacMillan's Manon earlier this season.

I first noticed Bowen soaring through the airspace, her tiny limbs like daggers, in William Forsythe's electric ballet The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude Don't let her petite frame fool you, she's a powerhouse of technique, line and stage personality. With their raven dark hair and eyes, Walsh and Bowen make a handsome onstage couple. Thus far, they have been paired in Stanton Welch's Long and Winding Road, Anthony Tutor's The Leaves are Fading, Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room, and just last weekend in Mark Morris' whimsical Sandpaper Ballet. Walsh talks about his first dip into Morris in Pointe magazine.

Walsh and Bowen are in bring-it-on mode, soaking up all that they can in making the roles of Lise and Colas their own. It's no surprise that Bowen and Walsh have ample opportunities on their dancing plates because they have earned them as standout dancers all season. All that said, La Fille will mark Bowen's first lead in a full-length ballet. If ever there's a rite of passage on Planet Ballet, this is it.

"Joe finds my center pretty well," says Bowen. "She's so light, I can knock her right off," responds Walsh with his trademark dashing smile.

The pair know they have been given a treasured experience, and together are heading into it with characteristic can-do spirit, watching videos, putting in extra rehearsal time and generally being readier than ready. For Bowen and Walsh, the road to becoming a principal has something to do with acting like one.

Tonight you can watch Melody Herrera and Connor Walsh tell Ashton's adorable love story. These homegrown young principals have lots of dancing left to do. On Saturday, it's seasoned pros Fote and Ball. On June 20th Ian Casady and rising corps member Lauren Ciobanu give the roles a whirl. Next Saturday, Joseph Walsh and Bowen get their chance in the Ashton spotlight. Know that they will be most certainly dancing in the moment, but you will be watching the future.

Catch a snippet of La Fille mal garde here: