Sae Eun Park started doing ballet when she was 10 years old. After proving her mettle by winning a silver medal at the USA International Ballet Competition in 2006 and the Grand Prix at the Prix de Lausanne in 2007, she became a corps de ballet dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet (POB) in 2011.

Learning the Ropes

Her start at POB was not smooth sailing. Park had to abandon the Russian-style ballet she had long been familiar with and learn the French style of dancing. She says 1. Park plays Juliet in the opening of ¡°Romeo and Juliet.¡± 2. Park was named ¡°etoile¡± in June of 2021. this process was made all the more difficult because there was no guidebook she could follow; however, Park makes clear that it was not a tough time for her at all. ¡°There were very few opportunities to take to the stage when I was a corps de ballet dancer,¡± she says. ¡°The opportunity gave me a chance to learn a lot while observing things backstage. I found the French style of ballet really interesting back then. I enjoyed the learning process.¡±

The elegant-looking world of ballet, however, is actually very hierarchical. Even among the world¡¯s greatest ballet troupes, POB is particularly famous for how difficult it is for dancers to advance in rank and for the complexity of its ranking system. Until she became a première danseuse―the second highest rank in the company―Park had to go through several difficult trials. ¡°There was a lot of pressure surrounding the advancement tests,¡± she says. ¡°During competitions outside of the troupe, you don¡¯t know who you¡¯re going to compete against, so doing your best is all that matters. During the advancement tests, however, you¡¯re competing against others in the same company, so you¡¯re well aware who your competitors are. They¡¯re not battles fought only with yourself.¡±

It was not until Park reached the rank of première danseuse that she began dreaming of becoming an etoile. In fact, it is very difficult for anyone to advance to that rank in the ballet company. ¡°You can¡¯t just become an etoile based on your skills alone. There¡¯s a certain level of training that¡¯s required to become an etoile, and you can only become one when an existing etoile retires,¡± she says. ¡°What¡¯s more, etoile are chosen by the director and ballet company¡¯s board. You have to show the director that as a ballerina you are ¡®always ready.¡¯ That¡¯s why the temperament of the director and your chemistry with the rest of the troupe is really important to become an etoile.¡±

Park holds a press conference in Korea soon after being named ¡°etoile.¡±

Park was named ¡°etoile¡± in June of 2021. © Ballet de l'Opéra National de Paris

Relentless Focus

In June of this year, Park became an etoile. When asked how ballerinas differ in ability, Park says grit is more important than dancing technique. ¡°It¡¯s important to persistently work hard to improve your dancing skills,¡± she says. ¡°I also think it¡¯s important to know yourself through and through. I believe that you can only master your art if you really know your strong and weak points and transcend your weaknesses by using artistic skills that reflect your own personal philosophy.¡±

Park¡¯s daily regimen is relentlessly focused on ballet. When she¡¯s preparing for a performance, she¡¯ll stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning looking for ballet videos and other relevant sources of information. ¡°When I¡¯m talking with my friends, they¡¯ll say that I know nothing except for ballet,¡± she says. ¡°I was embarrassed about that at first. I even tried hard to expand my knowledge outside of ballet. But when I began feeling a sense of responsibility for what I did on stage, I started to realize it was not a waste for me to spend all my time focused on giving my audience the best performance I could give.¡±

¡°I¡¯m not nervous at all when I dance on the stage,¡± she continued. ¡°I practice a great deal. If I¡¯m wondering if I can do well in a performance once I¡¯m up onstage, it¡¯s too late. It means I didn¡¯t practice enough. For me, the stage is a relaxed place that thrills me. I want to quickly go onstage to show my audience everything I have prepared.¡±

Park plays Juliet in the opening of ¡°Romeo and Juliet.¡± © Ballet de l'Opéra National de Paris

The POB is particularly famous for how
difficult it is for dancers to advance in rank and
for the complexity of its ranking system.

Paving the Way for Future Ballerinas

After a brief period of rest in Korea, Park will soon begin her first ballet season as an etoile. Ballet dancers have to wait intense anticipation to be selected for roles in performances. Etoiles, however, can ask for whatever part they want. What kind of performances does Park want to create as an etoile? ¡°Luckily, there have been many times I¡¯ve been able to do the performances I wanted,¡± she says. But there¡¯s a difference between performances that I want to do and those I can do well. Going forward, I want to participate in performances that I can do well as an etoile.¡±

What kind of life does Park see for herself following her career as a ballet dancer? ¡°In my view, ballet is an art form that is passed down to others,¡± she says. ¡°I learned how to dance from a partner of Rudolf Nureyev, the choreographer of the ballet version of Romeo and Juliet. I learned a great deal from him. I was taught all sorts of details, such as what meaning a particular physical movement has and why a particular set of clothing must be worn in a specific scene. I want to pass down what I¡¯ve learned from the past generation to younger generation ballerinas as well.¡±

Park says she wants to take on roles that demonstrate her personal strengths as a dancer.© KOCIS