Ballet

Famous Ballet Dancers In France

History would tell us that this dance was developed in the courts of the Renaissance period. It flourished abundantly when King Louis XIV considered it as a hobby. Soon after, he established a dance school, Academie Royale de Danse, in Louvre. Such construction paved way for both men and women in France to learn the intricate movements of ballet.

Let us take a quick look at some French famous ballet dancers that are now considered as pillars.

Dauberval made his debut in 1761 at the Paris Academie (presently Opera) where he was noted for his pantomimic dance ability. In 1773, he was seconded as an assistant ballet master. He then transferred as a dancer to Bordeaux in 1783 where he later known as one the famous ballet dancers in France.

His students included Charles Didelot, known as the father of Russian ballet, and Salvatorre Vigano, introduced the dance- drama to Italy.

Merante was the first ballet master at the Opera Garnier in Paris. He is best remembered as the choreographer of Leo Delibes’ Sylvia in 1896. Together with Arthur Saint- Leon and Jules Perrot, he is one of the three choreographers who defined French ballet tradition during the Second Empire and Third Republic, because of such he was identified to be one of the famous ballet dancers.

He was a pupil of Lucien Petipa whom he figured on the six- member select jury of the first annual competition for the Corps de Ballet in April 13, 1860. Later on he was called to St. Petersburg to adapt the choreography of Delibes’ Coppelia for the Marinsky Theater.

Petit was director of the Ballet de Marseille form 1973- 1997. Before that, he danced with the Paris Opera Ballet for four years then formed several companies with which he toured Europe and US.

His dramatic ballets combined fantasy with elements of contemporary realism including The Strolling Players (1945), The Young Man and Death (1946) and Carmen (1949). He also choreographed dances for films in the 1950’s and later staged revues featuring his wife, Zizi Jeanmaire, a performer in a number of his works. In 1993, his memoirs were published entitled I Danced On The Waves.

Tcherina was known for her beauty and flair as well as for her talent as a performer. She was a student under top choreographers, Serge Lifar and Maurice Bejart. She also appeared in films such as The Red Shoes, Oh Rosalinda, The Tales of Hoffman and Luna De Miel.

She is a daughter of a former Russian general, Avenir Tcherina, and French woman, Stephanie Finette. She was not just one of the most famous ballet dancers in France but also an artist, writer and actress.

Vestris made his debut at the opera in 1749. By 1770, he became such one of the most famous ballet dancers as well as a master and composer. His success and vanity had grown to such point that he reportedly have said, “there are but three great men in Europe- the king of Prussia, Voltaire and I.”

He studied with Louis Dupre at the Royal Academy of Paris where he later joined the Paris Opera where he served as dancing master to King Louis XVI. He was the first dancer to discard the mask and to use his face as mime.