[Ballet] An Afternoon That Somehow Feels Good

 

(Denver, CO = Won Jeong) Sunlight streaming through the window woke me up. It was a little past noon. As I twisted on the bed, contemplating whether to sleep a little longer, I glanced at the clock on the shelf. And then, I remembered the Colorado Ballet’s MasterWorks.

I had three pieces of chocolate-covered marshmallow cookies and a banana in the kitchen. After sipping some milk, I sat on the couch in the living room, spending some quiet time. The afternoon passed by peacefully.

The streets were bathed in sunlight. Unlike the sunlight that woke me up in bed, this one felt different. As I turned onto Steel Street, pink petals from the trees danced in the wind. It was truly a flowery path.

Near the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, as I searched for parking, I realized it was a little past 2 o’clock. The performance time had already passed. However, strangely, I didn’t feel rushed. Almost involuntarily, I found myself humming a light tune; it was just one of those 2 p.m. afternoons.

Basking in the April sunlight, I passed by the Big Blue Bear and entered the venue. Showing my ticket to the staff, I was directed to the balcony seats on the second floor since the original seats were no longer available due to the performance time having passed. Quietly following the staff’s guidance, I took my seat.

Onstage, the performance of “Rubies” was in full swing. Colorado Ballet’s Principal, Jennifer Grace, was partnering with another Principal, Jonnathan Ramirez. Though I hadn’t seen them perform together often, it felt like greeting an old friend. From afar, my long-time friend, dressed in pink, gestured and danced to greet me, as if saying, “I’m doing well here, how about you? Are you welcoming spring without any worries?”

I smiled from the audience, and just that simple act conveyed my spring greetings to the ballerinas and ballet dancers on stage. Their faces shone brightly like blossoming flower petals.

In “Three Views of a Mountain,” I climbed up and descended from a scenic mountain alongside the ballerinas and ballet dancers. Jennifer Grace, Mario Labrador, Catherine McGregor, Patrick Mihm, and Tate Ryner accompanied me on this mountain journey. Sitting in the audience, I felt the grandeur of the mountain, its refreshing streams, its trees, and its winds.

As time passed, Leah McFadden’s “Bolero” unfolded before my eyes. Clad in a light-colored shirt, McFadden conveyed spring greetings to the sounds of snare drums and flutes. The billowing white shirt somehow seemed familiar, reminding me of the fluttering petals I had seen on my way here. I chuckled softly.

The melody seamlessly transitioned to clarinet. Onstage, Lily Bines, Alexandra Gilliom, Ever Larson, Jessica Payne, Sonata Ross, and Sarah Tryon transformed into the wind, petals, and trees, dancing through the time of spring.

And then, Kenny Allen, Cato Berry, Bryce Lee, Patrick Mihm, Christopher Mitchell, Sean Omandam, Tate Ryner, and Jeremy Studenski became the rocks, the earth, and the mountains, enveloping the dancers in their embrace.

For a while, I didn’t think, breathe, or feel anything, until the sound of symbols brought me back to reality. It felt like I had traveled far away with the Colorado Ballet.

Outside the Opera House, the afternoon sunlight filled the air. Leaning against the building’s wall for a moment, I soaked in the afternoon sun. And I thought to myself, “Somehow, it’s a good feeling afternoon.”