Stephenie Meyer owns all TWILIGHT characters. The names "American Ballet Theatre" and "ABT" are registered trademarks of Ballet Theatre Foundation, Inc.

Though I've done as much research as possible regarding the ballet world, please know that I have taken some liberties for the purpose of entertainment.

CHAPTER TWO
DANCER

"How can we know the dancer from the dance?"
~ William Butler Yeats ~

From the American Ballet Theatre Website

. . .

PRINCIPALS
EDWARD CULLEN

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Edward Cullen began his training at the age of seven in Washington, D.C. He studied at the Kirov Academy of Ballet for two years. Immediately following Kirov, he attended the Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, where he studied with Marcia Dale Weary for a year, while also attending summer programs at The Joffrey Ballet and The Royal Ballet. At 11, he moved to France, where he trained with Max Bozzoni of the Paris Opera Ballet. He then continued his training at the Academy of Dance Salle Playel in Paris until the end of 1996. Shortly thereafter, he moved to New York City to attend The School of American Ballet on a scholarship. By the age of 16, he was a member of the corps de ballet for the New York City Ballet. Two years later, he became a soloist for American Ballet Theatre. He was promoted to principal dancer in early 2003 at the age of 21.

Cullen's roles with the Company include Franz in Coppélia, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, Solor in La Bayadère, Oberon in The Dream, Death in The Green Table, James in La Sylphide, Prince Charming in Cinderella, Basilio in Don Quixote, Petrouchka in Petrouchka, Her Lover in Jardin aux Lilas, the Blue Boy in Les Patineurs, Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew, and leading roles in Fancy Free, Black Tuesday, Giselle, and Les Paineurs. He has also performed the pas de deux My Funny Valentine, the first and third movements in Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1, the pas de deux Diana and Acteon, the second movement in Symphony in C, and the first and second variations in Variations for Four.

In addition to his time with the Company, Cullen has performed with various touring companies across the United States in productions of George Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Nutcracker, and Tchaikovsky's Pas de Deux and Peter Martin's The Sleeping Beauty and Sinfonia. His repertoire of ballets from Jerome Robbins includes Quiet City, Dances at a Gathering, West Side Story Suite, Interplay, The Cage, and The Goldberg Variations. Cullen has also toured extensively around the world, appearing in France, Russia, Italy, Canada, Japan, and Switzerland, during which he has danced in such ballets as Gong, The Rahms-Haydn Variations, Diversions of Angels, The Taming of the Shrew, Without Words, and Cinderella.

Cullen has won a multitude of awards, including a gold medal at the Paris International Dance Competition in 1999 and a silver medal at the Prix de Lausanne in 2000. He received the Princess Grace Foundation-USA grant in 2001. Most recently, Cullen won the Erik Bruhn Prize in 2004.

This year, Cullen will take part in the American Ballet Theatre's New Choreography Workshop, where he will work closely with the new dancers of ABT II, a select group of young dancers from across the globe. Cullen will take a break from the Company to select the small company, teach classes and give lectures, and select new members of ABT's corps de ballet from the group of 12.

Currently/Soon to be performing in:

Giselle
Le Corsaire
Swan Lake, Washington DC

. . .

"Please tell me there's a good reason you're reading my bio," Edward said as he leaned against the doorway of his roommate's bedroom. "Because that's a little weird."

Jasper looked up from his computer and rolled his eyes. "I was checking if they put up the new section about you working with ABT II yet. What'd you think? I was jacking off to pictures of you in tights?"

"You said it, not me." Edward laughed at the look Jasper shot his way. "So is it up yet?"

"Yeah, it's up." He shut the browser and spun his chair around. "You excited for it?" he asked cautiously. Jasper knew Edward had been undecided about helping out ABT II for the better half of the season.

"Actually, yeah, I am," Edward said with a smile. He gave a shrug when Jasper shot him an incredulous look. "I know, I know – I was a pain about it but I think it's something I need right now."

Jasper's brows drew in close together in concern. "Anything wrong?"

Edward shook his head, dispelling the uncertain thoughts that had been floating in his mind for the past few months. "I'm just looking at a few options for the future."

"The future," Jasper mused. "You make it sound like you're ancient. You're not."

"Please," Edward scoffed. "You know – as well as I do – that I don't have an endless career. None of us do." He looked pointedly at Jasper's knee. "I'm about to turn 23 and while I'm still 'young enough' to keep dancing, that doesn't mean I'm invincible."

"No shit," Jasper said bitterly. His hand settled on his right knee, his fingers pressing into the denim clothing it. Even after five years, pain tugged at the joint, a constant reminder of the end of his dancing days.

Edward let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up."

"No, no," Jasper said with a shake of his head. He forced a smile back on his face for his friend. "You're right. It doesn't hurt to figure out what else is out there. I was lucky, right?"

He had been lucky and Edward wasn't sure if luck would be kind to him if he ever found himself in Jasper's position. While his friend had found a calling behind the scenes with artistry and creativity, Edward had never tried it. His life revolved around dancing and working with ABT II would give him a chance to choreograph for others and work on the business side of the industry.

"Was it difficult?" he asked, seemingly out of the blue. When Jasper cocked his head in question, Edward explained, "Moving from dancing to… well, to not dancing." He winced at his wording.

Jasper took a moment to think about how to answer. Finally, he replied, "I didn't have a choice. I never had the chance to try other things." He paused. "This is a good thing for you," he continued quietly. "I told you that before."

"I know." Edward nodded and pushed off of the wall that he'd been leaning against. "Thank you for convincing me. I guess... Just in case, right?" He shook his head. "Jesus, this is a depressing conversation. I'm gonna go find some dinner before I drink myself into oblivion with all this talk about career changes and crap." He let out a forced laugh. "You in or are you meeting Maria tonight?"

"Maria," Jasper answered. "Speaking of which, I should leave to meet her. I'll see you later."

Edward lifted his hand in a farewell and left Jasper's room. As soon as he was behind closed doors, he sank onto his bed and buried his hands in his hair, resting his elbows on his knees. The conversation he just had with Jasper was panic-inducing and he breathed deeply to regulate his heartbeat.

In and out.

In and out.

In…

And out.

Thank you to oOza for her beta work, and fanglang & artisticwonder for pre-reading.