"Every morning I wake up to the music of Bolero, and at night I fall asleep with it. I am preparing to the point where I cannot possibly work any harder. I will show more than 200% of what I am capable of."
Kim Ki-min, a star ballet dancer at Russia's Mariinsky Ballet, expressed strong confidence in an online interview on July 2 ahead of his upcoming performances in Korea this month. He will perform "Bolero" alongside Béjart Ballet Lausanne (BBL) on July 23 and 25 at GS Arts Center in Seoul. While several works have been set to French composer Maurice Ravel's music, the "Bolero" choreographed by Maurice Béjart in 1961 is regarded as a landmark of contemporary dance. Béjart founded and led BBL, expanding the boundaries of modern ballet by adding powerful expressiveness and original choreography to traditional ballet techniques — an innovative choreographer.
"I had dreamed of performing the lead role in Béjart's 'Bolero,' but it never materialized, and at one point I had given up," Kim said. "A few years ago, a proposal from InArts Production rekindled the connection, and when BBL's Korea tour was confirmed, my participation was finalized late last year."
He emphasized that his deep love for the work has driven an intense preparation process. "I sometimes repeated the single motion of raising one arm for an hour," he said. "It looks simple, but the choreography contains countless demands." Currently based in Moscow, he has been continuing his practice while simultaneously performing with the Mariinsky Ballet.
In this performance, Kim takes on the role of "La Mélodie." The protagonist moves atop a round red table, embodying an abstract being rather than a human figure. Below the table, the corps de ballet performs as "La Rythme," visualizing the repetition and expansion of the music.
"A single note falls from far away in the universe and touches the head, and the movement begins," he explained. "The protagonist ultimately accepts a predestined death while dancing to the very end — that process is breathtakingly beautiful and filled with ecstasy."
