It was the first evening that she and Ivan had spoken at length; Ivan was attentive to Eloise’s observations about how she felt as a member of the audience rather than as a dancer onstage. The next evening he had her perform for more than three hours in his studio as he wandered around the room, his eyes silently studying the intricacy of her movements at close range. At the end of her exhausting routine he smiled and clapped his hands, declaring, ‘Bravo! Simply exquisite!’
Then he promptly left the room. As was often the case.
Eloise often hoped her relationship with Ivan would become a tad more communicative than it was, but she adored the meticulous way he studied her body when she danced for him. Even though she was alone more often than not, as long as he needed her to dance for him, she was content to fulfil her role.
Eloise knew her contract ensured that she was Ivan’s responsibility, and this at least gave her comfort that she belonged somewhere. In many respects it was no different from her previous life – she was still paid to dance, she maintained her former nomadic lifestyle – but at the same time, she was no longer competing in the stressful world of ballet, the hotels were five star, her travel first class (if not private jet) and her expense account indulgent, even if she never took advantage of it and always asked for permission to spend regardless (for instance, to purchase clothes more suited to her new lifestyle). Having her needs completely catered for and her whole life organised on her behalf was more than satisfactory.
Yet what she hadn’t realised was how accustomed she had become to interacting with a bevy of virile male ballet dancers. She might not have had many sexual relationships, but she desperately missed the physicality of men and the feeling of their muscled limbs against her own, their hands sliding along her taut curves and over her legs, neck and face. Their sheer strength in lifting her petite form into the air as though she were a feather, and effortlessly catching her as she fell. The physicality of dance was the part that made her feel connected, like she belonged. Suddenly she’d been removed from this overtly sensate world and thrust into a life where no one touched her at all, and her longing for more had taken her completely by surprise.
Ivan appeared absorbed in her beauty and grace but never once approached her. Although their contract clearly facilitated, among other things, a sexual relationship should they be so inclined, she was comfortable with the fact that it was all about dancing, as she wasn’t exactly attracted to him. The contract also stipulated that she should not be sexually intimate with anyone else – not that she had the opportunity for that. So she accepted her enforced celibacy without complaint, knowing that going against Caesar’s rules was never an option she could consider.
Lifestyle
Ivan never asked Eloise to watch him play, but she did learn first-hand that tennis was one of the busiest sports in the world. Whereas soccer had one World Cup every four years, tennis had four grand slams every year. And the top players were also required to compete in mandatory ATP World Tour Masters 1000 series that added to their ATP rankings each year in Asia, America and Europe.
Eloise soon grew accustomed to the heavy demands of the tennis calendar as Ivan competed in Monte Carlo, Munich, Madrid, Rome … It was a never-ending whirlwind of airports, stadiums, crowds, cars and hotels and she danced for him before every match he played. He always chose the particular ballet and the precise scene he wished her to perform. Sometimes it was for as little as ten minutes, at other times it was for a couple of hours. During some tournaments he would have her perform the same scene before each match.
It allowed little time for her to reflect on what she might be missing back in London. If the truth were told, Eloise felt like her previous lifestyle was in ultra-slow motion compared with this – like comparing a snail with Usain Bolt. She had no concerns about keeping physically active when they were on tour, particularly as Ivan often asked her to dance again after he’d won a match to help him unwind, which she did willingly.
All of these tournaments led up to the French Open: the true beginning of her eight-grand-slam commitment to Caesar, and the end of her one and only escape clause. Everything up until this point had been preliminary, allowing her time to adjust to her new lifestyle. Once the grand slam commenced, there was no turning back. But although she appreciated the gesture of Caesar’s ‘trial run’, in her mind the clause was superfluous. Once she had committed to something, her disciplined self would always see it through.
Before the French Open, Ivan asked her to perform the final scene of Swan Lake. She wondered whether he envisaged his opponent as the dying white swan and himself as the victorious black swan. She had read that some athletes used the soundtrack of movies like Rocky to psych themselves up before a major match, and perhaps this was Ivan’s version of the same thing.
Being the perfectionist she was, she took her job seriously and aimed at improving her performance with each match Ivan played – just as he did. The philosophy seemed to be working, since the more she danced, the more he won, including the title of Number One for the third consecutive year. Ivan was in top form and Eloise was confident he would continue to win, ensuring her position as his private ballerina – she liked to think of herself as his lucky charm and felt she was contributing to his success.
After Ivan won the title in Paris, Caesar hosted an elaborate private dinner for Ivan, his coach, his manager, Anna and Eloise to celebrate. At the end of the evening he asked if he could have a private word with Eloise and agreed to escort her back to her hotel.
As they sat down at a table in the hotel bar, he began, ‘So, how is everything going, Eloise?’
‘Very well, Caesar. I’m really pleased for him.’
‘And how are you adjusting to your new life?’
‘Pretty well, actually. It’s certainly busy, but I do feel that Ivan appreciates my dancing for him.’
‘There’s no doubting that. He has told me himself on many occasions the motivating impact your dancing has on his game. I believe we both have you to thank for helping secure his Number One world ranking. From my perspective you are fulfilling your role perfectly, Eloise. I couldn’t hope for more.’
Eloise blushed at his words of praise. ‘Thank you, Caesar. I’ve certainly tried to do my best.’
‘So you will commit to the entire term of the contract?’
‘I always had every intention of doing so.’
He smiled at her conviction.
‘You do realise there is no guarantee that Ivan will remain Number One?’
She hadn’t given much thought to the other players on the circuit, other than briefly flicking through the profiles Caesar had provided her with after their initial meeting.
‘Are there ever any guarantees in life?’ She laughed. ‘It’s OK, I’ll take my chances.’
‘I like your style, Eloise.’ He noted that she seemed much more relaxed than when they had last met, not as emotionally distraught. It seemed this lifestyle was working for her.
‘And are you still comfortable with the contract as is?’
‘Yes, I am.’
‘Then let’s get the formalities out of the way, shall we?’ He handed her a thick black pen, which she accepted, and she signed the document
