From Seine to Shanghai: Paris Opera Ballet's Étoile Dancers Take Center Stage
If every child who studies ballet holds a dream, then for French dancers, that dream has almost a single name: Étoile dancer.
This title is not awarded to competition winners, nor is it the commonly seen rank of "principal." It is the highest honor bestowed by the Paris Opera Ballet upon its dancers.
As one of the world's oldest ballet companies, the Paris Opera Ballet maintains the most rigorous hierarchical system. From quadrille to coryphée, sujet, and premier danseur, only the most outstanding can become Étoile.
These dancers must possess not only top-tier technique but also a distinctive artistic voice – the kind of performer "the audience can instantly pick out in a crowd."
From July 25 to 27, 14 Étoile and principal dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet will gather at the Shanghai International Dance Center Theater to present three performances entitled "Under the Stars of Paris."
Among them, three Étoiles of strikingly different styles deserve special attention.
Hannah O'Neill possesses impeccably classical academic technique, and is renowned for her extraordinary stability and balance. Every arabesque she executes and every adagio control feels airy and effortless.
Marc Moreau is not the highest-jumping or most pirouetting male dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet. However, many French audiences consider him the most truthful in character portrayal, excelling at interpreting dramatic roles.
Thomas Docquir is the newest Étoile of the Paris Opera Ballet, explosive in power and comprehensive in technique. His grand jetés and continuous turns are visually breathtaking.
The programs for the three performances will vary slightly, but some classic excerpts beloved by the Paris Opera Ballet dancers will appear in all three shows: the Grand Pas from "Paquita" choreographed by Pierre Lacotte, José Martinez's "Le Corsaire," and Frederick Ashton's "Rhapsody."
Other programs cover the Russian school, Balanchine neoclassicism, and Béjart's modern works.
If you go
Dates: July 25-27, 7:30pm
Tickets: 180-1,080 yuan
Venue: Shanghai International Dance Center Theater 上海国际舞蹈中心
Address: 1650 Hongqiao Rd 虹桥路1650号
