On a darkened stage, a lone male dancer stands atop a table. As he slowly raises one arm above his head, a pin spot traces its length. The other arm follows, as if an invisible thread from somewhere deep in space were drawing him upward.
"When the music begins, it feels as if notes are falling like droplets from somewhere far out in the distant galaxy, traveling down my arms and into my fingertips," Kim Ki-min, a principal dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet, said during a press conference on Wednesday.
"There are no words I know that can fully describe that feeling. The ending of this dance is, in a sense, a kind of 'death,' but from the very beginning, I embrace the idea that I am dying — and I embrace it joyfully."
The star ballerino has taken on the lead role in "Bolero," one of the signature works of legendary choreographer Maurice Bejart, becoming the first Korean dancer to perform as La Melodie, the embodiment of the work's central melody. Kim debuted in the role on Thursday and is scheduled to perform it again on Saturday.
Having premiered in 1961 to the music of Maurice Ravel, the piece is a defining work of Bejart and a signature of Bejart Ballet Lausanne, the company he founded.
BBL's visit marks its first trip to Korea in 15 years. The performances, scheduled for April 23 to 26 at the GS Arts Center, will also include "Hamlet," "Firebird" and "La Luna."
"Dancing 'Bolero' has been a dream of mine," the 33-year-old ballerino said. "To perform it as a guest with Bejart Ballet Lausanne is a great honor. I was so nervous I couldn't sleep on the plane, but I take that as a good sign — that I'll be able to deliver a strong performance."
The demands have been exacting. "At the Mariinsky Ballet, rehearsals rarely went over an hour. Here, we rehearsed three hours a day. I was so absorbed in the moment that I didn't even go to the bathroom or drink water. I was happy every minute."
When La Melodie performs a solo atop the table, the surrounding dancers break into ensemble movement.
"I asked how they make it to the end because it's so physically exhausting," Kim said. "They told me the dancers would carry me through. When I imagined energy pushing me up from beneath the table, it gave me strength. It's almost like a ritual that draws not only the dancers but also the audience into the dance."
Because the score repeats, mastering the sequence of movement can be deceptively difficult. Kim said he memorized the entire orchestration to keep his timing.
"Because the melody repeats, with instruments added one by one, even dancers with 30 years of experience can lose track of the sequence. Fortunately, I have a good ear, so I memorized the order in which each instrument enters — the flute, the clarinet, then the bassoon. That made it much easier to dance."
Kim added that there are "secret keys" passed down within the BBL that unlock each movement. "In rehearsals, it felt like unlocking each 'secret key,' moving step-by-step through and deciphering the movement."
Kim also emphasized that the focus should remain on the work itself.
"As a guest dancer, I see my role as adding the final touch of color to the sketch drawn by the company. I will make sure to paint it beautifully and do it justice to its reputation," said Kim.
"I hope the attention is not on me, but on the fact that Bejart's work is being performed in Korea. He left an enormous legacy for dancers today. If his works were staged more often in Korea, it could help shape the dance scene differently."
For Julien Favreau, the artistic director and dancer of the BBL, this marks his return to Korea as a dancer 15 years after his last visit.
"I went to Daejeon for a performance 15 years ago, and it's been 25 years since we performed in Seoul. I'm delighted to present such a wonderful program in Seoul," he said.
Reflecting on "Bolero," Favreau noted that Bejart conceived it as a unisex work, first created for the ballerina Duska Sifnios and later by the dancer Jorge Donn in 1979. Female dancers perform Friday and Sunday.
"The choreography is largely the same. But depending on who dances the lead, the atmosphere changes entirely."
He described the central image — a soloist on a table encircled by 38 dancers — as open to interpretation. The table might be seen as an altar, the ensemble as encroaching forces, even predators. "It can feel as if the dancer knows their fate and continues regardless," he said.
This Seoul program will also feature "Hamlet," a reinterpretation of William Shakespeare's tragedy. BBL dancer Lee Min-kyung, the company's only Korean member since 2020, will perform the role of Ophelia.
"For me, 'Hamlet' changed my life," Lee said. "It led to more important roles within the company. Being the only Korean dancer in Bejart Ballet Lausanne, this performance feels especially meaningful."
hwangdh@heraldcorp.com
