It started as a blink-and-you-miss-it moment in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. Remember that scene at the United Palace? John goes to see the Director, played by Anjelica Huston. In the background, there are these dancers. They aren't just doing "Swan Lake" for the sake of high art; they’re training. Their feet are bleeding. They’re practicing lethal precision under the guise of grace. That specific imagery—the ballerina short film sequences embedded within the main feature—wasn't just filler. It was the birth of a massive expansion.
Most people think of the Ballerina project solely as the upcoming Ana de Armas movie. But if you look at how this story was actually introduced, the "short film" feel of those early sequences served as a proof of concept. It proved that the Ruska Roma wasn't just about tattoos and wrestling; it was about the brutal discipline of dance as a metaphor for assassination.
The Ruska Roma and the Lore of the Dance
Honestly, the way the John Wick universe handles its world-building is kinda genius. They don't give you a massive lore dump. Instead, they show you a girl on a stage, her slippers soaked in blood, while a grizzled woman talks about "service" and "ticket" requirements.
Unity. Precision. Pain.
The "ballerina" wasn't originally supposed to be a massive spin-off. It was a character named Rooney. In Chapter 3, she was portrayed by real-life ballet dancer Unity Phelan. Those segments functioned like a ballerina short film, a self-contained visual narrative showing the origin of a Continental-style killer. You see the grit. You see the sweat. It’s basically a silent movie about the cost of being "brought up" in that world.
When Len Wiseman was brought on to direct the full-length feature From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, the challenge was keeping that raw, short-form energy. How do you take a five-minute visual motif and turn it into a two-hour revenge flick? You keep the pain. You don't sanitize the dance.
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Why the "Short Film" Aesthetic Worked So Well
Short films are about impact. They don't have time for subplots. The ballerina sequences in the Wick films worked because they focused on a singular, visceral image. The contrast between the elegance of the movement and the brutality of the training creates a friction that stays with you.
- Visual Metaphor: The dance represents the "dance of death" in the gun-fu sequences.
- The Discipline: If you can master the fouetté, you can master a headshot.
- The Sacrifice: Like John’s "commitment" (the finger scene), the ballerina’s commitment is her body.
I’ve seen a lot of theories online about whether those dancers are actually the ones doing the killing. Short answer? Yes. The Director mentions that her "children" are her greatest assets. They aren't just training for the New York City Ballet. They're training for the High Table.
The Shift from Unity Phelan to Ana de Armas
It’s worth noting the change in casting. Unity Phelan is a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet. She’s the real deal. When she was on screen, that ballerina short film vibe was authentic because the movement was world-class.
Then comes the pivot.
When the project evolved into a massive blockbuster, the producers shifted to Ana de Armas. Why? Because the film needed someone who could carry a John Wick level of emotional weight and stunt work. De Armas already proved her chops in No Time to Die. She’s got that "don't mess with me" look down to a science. But she had to train like a literal ballerina to make it look right. She’s spoken in interviews about how grueling the process was, basically saying it was harder than any fight choreography she'd ever done.
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The transition from a dancer-who-acts to an actor-who-dances changed the texture of the story. It moved from a silent, atmospheric piece of art to a high-octane revenge thriller.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Timeline
The Ballerina story isn't a sequel to John Wick: Chapter 4. This is super important. It actually takes place between Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. This allows Keanu Reeves to make a cameo as John Wick. If you’re watching the ballerina short film segments in the third movie, you’re literally seeing the environment that shaped the protagonist of the spin-off.
It’s a prequel-sequel-hybrid thing.
The Influence of "The Red Shoes" and Classic Cinema
You can't talk about the ballerina motif without mentioning The Red Shoes (1948). The Wick producers have hinted that the obsession and the "all or nothing" nature of professional dance in that film served as a huge inspiration. In The Red Shoes, the dancer literally can't stop. The shoes take over.
In the John Wick world, the "shoes" are the markers. The blood oaths. The High Table. Once you put them on, you dance until you die.
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Breaking Down the Aesthetic
The lighting in these scenes is always cold. Blues and greys. It contrasts with the gold and warm ambers of the Continental. This choice makes the ballerina’s world feel lonely. It's a solitary journey. Even when they're in a troupe, they're alone.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Filmmakers
If you're looking to dive deeper into this specific sub-genre of "martial arts as art," there are a few things you should do. Don't just wait for the movie trailers. Study the source material.
- Watch the Ruska Roma Scenes Again: Pay attention to the background. The choreography of the dancers often mirrors the choreography of the fight scenes that follow. It’s a rhythmic foreshadowing.
- Research the New York City Ballet’s Involvement: Knowing that Unity Phelan was the original "Rooney" adds a layer of respect for the craft. Look up her performances to see the level of skill the filmmakers were aiming for.
- Follow the "Ballerina" Stunt Team: Many of the stunt coordinators from 87Eleven worked on the ballerina segments. Their Instagrams are goldmines for seeing how they blend dance movements with CQC (Close Quarters Combat).
- Look for the "Ballerina" Easter Eggs in the Continental Series: There are subtle nods to the training facility in the Peacock spin-off series that flesh out how the Director’s academy operates.
The ballerina short film style sequences were a gamble. They could have been cheesy. Instead, they became the soul of the franchise’s expansion. They reminded us that in the world of John Wick, beauty is just another weapon.
To really understand where the franchise is going, you have to look at the feet, not just the guns. The blisters tell a better story than the bullets ever could. The upcoming film is just the final performance of a routine that started years ago in the wings of a dark theater.
The next step is to re-examine John Wick: Chapter 3 specifically through the lens of the Ruska Roma. Focus on the Director's dialogue regarding "art" and "pain." This provides the essential context for why a dancer is the only logical successor to Wick’s legacy of focused, sheer will.