‘A dream I had set aside’: Korean ballet star Kim Ki-min excited to take on ‘Bolero’

“‘Bolero' is the dance Russian audiences most want to see from me, so I suppose the Mariinsky Ballet audience might feel a bit betrayed. After all, the premiere is taking place in Korea.” Principal dancer Kim Ki-min, 34, of the Mariinsky Ballet has become the first Korean dancer to take on the leading role of La Melodie in Maurice Bejart’s masterpiece, “Bolero.” Speaking via video on April 2, Kim described the performance as “a dream I had set aside, thinking I would never achieve it in this lifetime.” “Bolero” is a work that visualizes the gradual crescendo of music by Maurice Ravel, combining the central figure, who stands atop a red circular table, with the surrounding male ensemble representing “rhythm.” Kim will perform from April 23 to 26 as part of the visiting production by Bejart Ballet Lausanne (BBL) at GS Arts Center. The role of La Melodie is an embodiment of the music itself, without a concrete narrative. To express this abstract character, Kim engaged in intense communication with BBL’s artistic director, Julien Favreau. “We had great chemistry

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