༺ The First Partner ༻
“Just before she almost became a prima (prima donna: the lead female role in ballet), she had a problem with a ligament in her toe. She wasn’t injured, but it had worn away due to excessive practice. She was told that recovery was almost impossible.”
“It must have been tough…”
What would it feel like to suddenly not be able to do something you were so good at?
Although he had endured 15 years of obscurity with his passion for acting, if he were to go back to that time, would he have continued acting?
The color drained from Yoomyeong’s face.
“You seem to know a lot about her.”
“It’s a famous story among ballet fans. She was beautiful, from a good family, and even though she had everything, she practiced so hard. Everyone cheered for her. They said she was always the first to arrive at the Aurora practice room and the last one to leave.”
“I see…”
“It was heartbreaking to think of what she would fill her time with after devoting her whole life to ballet… but it seems she became an actress. That’s fortunate.”
Could that really be called becoming an actress?
Yoomyeong didn’t share any more details with Jiyeon.
He could imagine how she felt, and it broke his heart a little.
*
They joined the pre-production.
The most important issue of securing investors was already resolved. However, due to the circumstances of the lead and supporting actors being selected first, the staff’s setup started later. An assistant director and casting manager from the film company joined, and the director began full-fledged setting preparations.
The filming was scheduled for April.
And Director Ki paired the lead and supporting actors for practice.
It wasn’t typical, but given the characteristics of ‘ballet’ and ‘acting’, Yoomyeong needed to learn more ballet, and Seryeon needed to learn more acting.
“I will be busy forming a team, handling casting, and checking locations. You two should help each other while practicing. I will occasionally join you to discuss the script and role interpretations.”
They rented a practice room.
It was a small practice room with full-length mirrors and ballet bars.
Luckily, Yoomyeong was on a break from school, and Seryeon was unemployed, so they had plenty of time.
Seryeon began to help Yoomyeong develop a body that looked like a ballerina’s.
“Please design a program for me to lose about 5 kg.”
“Aren’t you thin enough already?”
“Since I’m playing the Phantom, I think a clearer skeletal line would be better.”
Yoomyeong actively utilized the expertise of professionals.
Even if he had rigorously trained his body as an actor, it couldn’t compare to that of a ballerina. Ballerinas were constantly shaping their bodies to look their most beautiful on stage.
“Ballet movements, like standing on tiptoes or lifting a foot, are mostly performed in unstable positions. Therefore, all balance needs to be centered. Core muscles, back muscles, and abs are very important. Even though Yoomyeong isn’t planning to continue with ballet, the upper body will be captured on camera…”
“Train me under the assumption that I’ll continue. Not as an average person, but in professional mode.”
“You won’t regret it, will you? Hehe.”
On the other hand, when it came to teaching acting, Yoomyeong was a ruthless coach.
“That expression looks more angry than scared.”
“Sister, when you act, you’re too naive, especially when performing ballet moves.”
“Think of bringing the expressiveness of ballet into your facial expressions more precisely. Ultimately, it’s the same thing.”
“Don’t just make beautiful expressions. Sorrow, anger, jealousy. Make it more raw…!”
Contrary to the first impression, Seryeon was surprisingly gentle.
Though she still armored herself with flashy outfits, the moment she entered the practice room, changed into practice clothes, and tied up her hair, she reverted to the ballerina Yoon Seryeon, diving into practice diligently and persistently.
Seryeon also began to like Yoomyeong.
She started with low expectations, thinking that it might not work out. However, after watching his performance, she felt the potential that the story she dreamt of might be visually realized. As they practised together, she recognized his genuine talent and passion, leading to her growing trust.
As time passed, they grew closer.
“Yoomyeong, the internal acting in this scene is…”
They became deeply immersed.
“Sister, the center of gravity in that pas de deux (a ballet dance performed by a male and female dancer) just now was…”
A partner.
It was a title Yoomyeong had never encountered in his 15 years of acting.
For the first time, Yoomyeong was able to share his perspective with a co-actor and understand the feeling of deeply resonating with them.
Then one day, Director Ki Do-han brought in a stand-in ballerina.
“She’s a dance student from Woondae University’s department of dance. She has a physique similar to Seryeon, and even the aura she gives off in ballet seems to match hers. We haven’t found a stand-in for you yet, Yoomyeong.”
“Hello. I’m Moon Soojin.”
She smiled brightly and gave a slight bow.
When she saw Seryeon, her face seemed to show recognition with an ‘Ah…’ but she didn’t verbalize it.
“Can we see Giselle’s solo in Act 2? The part with the jete?”
“Yes.”
She changed into her practice outfit and started to warm up.
She took a pair of ballet shoes out of her bag and put them on.
Yoomyeong felt that, for a moment, Seryeon’s expression darkened.
As the music played,
Soojin arched her back like a bow and did a sauté (jump).
Then, she quickly executed a pirouette (spin) on the spot.
After that was a demi-plié (half knee-bend), followed by a grand jete (a big leap extending the legs in the air).
Seryeon, who had been silently watching her, applauded.
“You’re exceptional. It seems you’re more than qualified to be my stand-in.”
It was a sign of approval.
*
The director left with the stand-in ballerina to finalize the contract.
Even after that, Yoomyeong and Seryeon practiced late into the night, only leaving when it became dark.
“Sister, aren’t you leaving?”
“Yeah, I’ll leave soon. You go ahead.”
Having put on his sneakers and left first, Yoomyeong reached the bus stop before realizing he had left his script behind, so he turned back.
He expected the practice room to be empty, but the melodies of Giselle were playing.
Thud— Tap— Thud—
With the moonlight streaming through the practice room windows…
Beyond the glass door, the figure of a ballerina dancing was clearly visible.
Arms illuminated by the moonlight, gleaming white.
Those arms drew a large, round circle before descending.
Both arms were gathered fully in front of her chest, then reached out yearningly towards the sky.
Bending at the waist, from the back of her head to her waist, she drew a flawless and graceful arc.
As her outstretched hands pulled inward towards her chest, they conveyed Giselle’s feelings of betrayal, despair, and entreaty.
Every detail, even down to the fingertips, was a sublime work of art. It was beyond what the stand-in ballerina from earlier could ever hope to match.
‘With such skill… if she can’t…’
His heart ached.
So beautifully mesmerizing, this Giselle, who tugged at the viewer’s very heartstrings, bent down to put on her pointe shoes.
‘Huh…?’
Then, en pointe (standing on tiptoes).
Her right leg trembled.
In that state, after a préparation (preparatory move),
A grand jeté.
‘No… she can’t!’
Only then did Yoomyeong realize what she was about to do. He rushed to open the door and ran inside, but…
Thump—
Seryeon failed to land properly and tumbled on the floor.
“Sister…!”
She clutched her right foot for a moment, unable to scream, and then gasped for breath.
Once she had finally calmed down, she looked up at Yoomyeong with an embarrassed smile.
“Oh… Didn’t you… go home?”
“What were you thinking?!”
“…”
“…”
“I used to perform the jeté really well…”
Tears glistened in the moonlight and fell.
*
“Ballet is a dance that defies gravity.”
“Really?”
“In the 19th century, Marie Taglioni gained prominence with her en pointe technique. They say her dance seemed so fairy-like, light, and beautiful as if she were weightlessly flying.”
“Oh, so that’s why ballet… but it looks extremely difficult.”
“Hehe. While learning ballet, there’s probably no one who doesn’t curse Marie Taglioni. Your toenails fall off, blood oozes out, and sometimes the pus inside the shoes hardens, and when you take them off, chunks of flesh come off too. Literally, you learn while crying.”
“If it’s that hard, then why do it?”
“Ballet is a dance that endlessly reaches for the sky.”
“…”
“You straighten your back, lift your pelvis, stretch your arms to their limit, and in the end, you stand on your tiptoes, reaching for a heavenly beauty that doesn’t seem real.”
“I see.”
“But now, I can’t do en pointe anymore.”
In the moonlit practice room, two people leaned against one wall, sharing their conversation.
The night made people honest.
“It’s a crucial ligament for maintaining balance. Even with intensive rehabilitation, the chances are very slim.”
“…”
“I tried to go for it anyway, but my father vehemently opposed. Since my mother passed away early, he had an extreme love for his only remaining daughter. You saw him come to the company with my uncle back then.”
Yoomyeong silently listened to Seryeon’s words.
“And two years have already passed. My father is not a narrow-minded person even if he’s overprotective, so he told me to try everything I hadn’t done while dancing ballet. Eating delicious foods without worrying about weight, going to clubs, getting fancy pedicures…”
“But nothing was fun.”
A bitter smile briefly crossed her face.
“Some days I cried, and on others, I laughed like a madwoman. Then, I happened upon a fairy tale book and read the story of the red shoes.”
“I was furious. If it were me, if I could only dance, even if it meant dancing day and night, I would never have cut off my feet.”
Creak—
The record player finished one track and moved on to the next.
It was the last scene of Act 1.
The track of Giselle’s dance, driven to madness by Albrecht’s betrayal.
“Christine from <Phantom of the Opera> was the same. Chosen by the god of music, what did a hideous face matter? What was that kind of love compared to it? It’s not an opportunity that comes to just anyone.”
There was a hint of emphasis on the phrase ‘not just anyone.’
“That’s why I wrote this script. If chosen by the god of ballet, the protagonist who would shut her eyes to everything else and commit even sins, just to devote herself entirely to ballet.”
“I want to be that Yoon Hwaran.”
Yoomyeong listened quietly until she had poured out every word.
Though she spoke as if she had given up, what she truly desired was…
“…Sister, do you want to try rehabilitation now? Even if there’s only a slight possibility.”
“…Well… Dad is trying to give me something, anything, even if it’s not ballet. That’s why he said he would fully invest and asked me to quickly start the production when he discovered this script that I wrote. He hopes I can find meaning in life somewhere else, whether it be in writing or acting…”
“…”
“Surprisingly, once I started, it was fun. As for ballet… it’s already been two years. Even if I manage to break through the slim chances and succeed in rehabilitation, I’m not sure if I can dance like before. Now, I’m even afraid to try…”
Yoomyeong paused for a moment.
“There was a time when I couldn’t act no matter how hard I tried.”
“…”
“But one day, almost fatefully, I found that I could act as I wished. So, when I first heard about sister’s situation, I wondered. Having tasted the joy of acting and recognition, if I were to go back to the days when I couldn’t act, could I continue in this profession?”
“…What do you think it would’ve been like?”
“It would be tough, but… I think I would still choose that path.”
Seryeon’s eyes wavered.
“Even if I have to start from scratch and can’t act like I do now, no matter how hard I try, I think I could push on for another 15 years. I can’t be sure beyond that because I haven’t experienced it, but…”
15 years.
It was the period of time Yoomyeong had spent while striving in the unseen shadows.
An unexaggerated truth.
Seryeon, who simply knew of his age as twenty-four, couldn’t grasp the full weight of it, but she could tell he wasn’t lying. The moonlight bore witness.
“Of course, there is no correct answer. Everyone’s answer is different. Let’s think about this together until the film is completed. After all, you’re my partner.”
His ‘first’ partner. A phrase laden with profound meaning.
Yoomyeong stood up and extended a hand to her.
Seryeon took his hand, and Yoomyeong moved the tonearm on the turntable, playing the pas de deux (two-person ballet) music. They had been consistently practicing it for the stand-ins to mimic their facial angles in the film.
The two spun around under the moonlight.
Though their feet weren’t in pointe shoes, nor were they executing perfect fouettés,
Their upper bodies portrayed the beautiful figures of Giselle and Albrecht more than anyone else.
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