The company has taken up exclusive residence at the Queensland Performing Arts Complex as part of its "International Series".

Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie said there were two reasons why it took so long for America's national ballet company to make it across the Pacific Ocean.

"I've learned that delayed gratification can be a beautiful thing," he said on Wednesday.

"And the logistics in moving a company of this size, this distance, are huge."

Eighty dancers and 50 musicians, as well as support staff and crew, have travelled to Brisbane to perform Swan Lake and Three Masterpieces, a trio of 20^th century works by choreographers that Mr McKenzie said "broke all the rules".

For prima ballerina Paloma Herrera, the tour forms part of her farewell, as she will retire after the company's 2015 season at the Met in New York.

Born in Argentina, the 38-year-old has been with the American Ballet Theatre since she was 15 and became a principal at 19.

"A wonderful career takes a lot of dedication, and it never ends and actually I think it's more, the more you spend more years, the more dedication it is," Herrera said.

"I think you have to leave it when it's the right time...I couldn't ask for more."

Herrera will dance in Swan Lake and Bach Partita by Twlyla Tharp, which will also feature the recently promoted Isabella Boylston.

"Not a day goes by that I don't feel the magnitude of finally getting to be a principal in ABT, because it was always my dream," she said.

"Actually watching tapes of Paloma was definitely one of the reasons I wanted to join ABT."

Cory Stearns said reaching the elite level came with the realisation that it was not just a gift.

"You put lot of sacrifice and hard work into it, and you realise when you get promoted, you have much more to go," he said.

Siberian-born Danil Simkin, who will perform alongside Stearns as sailors in Fancy Free, agreed it was the dancers' responsibility to keep growing.

"You can't just let it go and join the sunny side of life... we spend many hours in the studio trying to get better," he said.

The 2012 visit by the Hamburg Ballet pumped $1.02 million into Queensland's economy, followed by another $2.61 million from the Bolshoi Ballet in 2013.

Arts Minister Ian Walker said 38 per cent of Bolshoi audiences travelled to Brisbane to see it, backing the government's drive to lure cultural tourists.

"Cultural tourists spend more than your average tourist and they stay an extra day, so they are a target audience for us and investment by Tourism and Events Queensland in events like this is very important," he said.

Mr Walker said the live simulcast of Friday night's performance into nine locations across Queensland is an important way of exposing the regions to great art.

"I'll be going up to Maryborough to join the people in the Brolga Theatre for Swan Lake," he said.

"I've been told that in fact those watching the simulcast in some cases are going to get a better view and some better sneak peaks than some who are in the theatre."

Swan Lake by the American Ballet Theatre opens on Thursday August 28 at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC. It runs until Thursday September 4, and is followed by Three Masterpieces on September 5-7. Tickets from $79 available online.