Two steps ahead, the Opera’s lost in the wilderness March 24, 2018

March 24, 2018 5 pm, Paris. Three hours before the Premiere of La Bayadere.

Parisians are going back home after a long day of work; the metro is overcrowded: people are in a rush. Few meters away from the bustle of the city life, inside the Paris Opera, Leonore, Germain and the rest of the troupe concentrate on their upcoming performance. Tonight, at the Paris Operas, the Corps de ballet will perform La Bayadère, a ballet created by French choreographer Marius Petipa and musician Ludwig Minkus.

As always before a premiere, dancers had a class in the morning and rehearsed the wholeafternoon. “The biggest concern is not to get hurt before the show,” explains Germain, a principal dancer, while stretching his legs and feet. Backstage, the stress level increases, creating an electric atmosphere. Some costumes need to be tailored and adjusted as a substitute dancer arrived on stage after another dancer twisted his ankle. The smell of hairspray and talcum powder invades the room while ballerinas are conscientiously applying makeup on their skin. Tonight, Leonore, the principal (ballerina), endows the role of Nikiya, a temple dancer in past Royal India. “This makeup is really special and new for me. I am supposed to look like an Indian girl and, as you can see, - she shows her blonde hair and her pale skin while applying red lipsticks-, there is work to do”. Leonore Baulac was made an “Étoile” after her performanceof Odile/ Odette in Swan Lake (from Rudolph Noureev) on December 31st, 2017. It is the very first time she dances La Bayadere and, even if she is considered as one of the top 10 French ballerinas, she still sees herself as a beginner. “To progress and be the best version of yourself, you have to be humble and disciplined. Of course, there are days when I don’t feel like dancing,but I have to be ready and motivated for my partners. Dance, especially ballet, is a teamwork.”

Right behind Leonore, Germain Louvet, who sits in front of a mirror, listens to us with an amused smile. Tonight, he will play Solor, the leading male role of the ballet. “Solor is a noblewarrior, he explains, he is in love with Nikiya, but High Brahmin also falls for Nikiya. However, she prefers Solor. This is the plot.” Germain Louvet reveals that few hours before the beginning of the ballet, he enjoys staying backstage instead of preparing himself in his private lodge, for he likes to “feel the vibe” and “talk and relax with other dancers.” While doing some pliés and dégagés to warm up his muscles, he details his routine before each outcoming performance.“As I practice almost every day, I have a physiotherapist who comes home every other day to massage and to relax my muscles. Then, I leave at 10 am for my first class. We attend two classes plus the ballet rehearsals every day. On special days like today, I arrive at the Opera earlier to take time to talk with my partner Leonore and exchange about the upcoming performance. You can’t dance a duo if you are not at ease with your partner, communication is a simple step that leads to excellence.”

"Corps de ballet" dancing La Bayadère.

“Presenting La Bayadère at the Paris Opera is always a memorable moment” Aurélie Dupont

The performance will begin in two hours. Hidden behind the famous red velvet curtains, Aurélie Dupont, the director of the Paris Opera Ballet, operates in the shadow. The former prima ballerina is adjusting, in last minute, the final scene’s music with the conductor. Even if she does not dance anymore, Aurelie has not lost the grace of the ballet dancer. Her long legs as well as her low chignon styled with a black mousseline scarf, reminds us of her beginnings when she was Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty, one of her first ballet as an Etoile. Intercepted between two constraints, Mrs. Dupont stresses the fact that the presentation of La Bayadère at the Paris Opéra is always a memorable event. “This ballet has the particularity to be part of the classic register, yet it remains original with its oriental twist. It is one of my favorite ballet as, each night, we witness a symphony of colors and luxurious fabrics. Of course, there are white tutus -she laughs- but Nikiya also wears these traditional Indian dresses... I must admit that I am amazed by the work of our seamstresses, they are for sure part of the magic that is happening on stage.”

From backstage, the stage is even more impressing than from the stands. The sloped stage is invisible to the audience; however, this is a real challenge for the dancers to perform on an inclined stage. According to Claire, Sujet dancer, it isprimordial to rehearse several times here instead of practicing in the studio. “When I had myfirst roles in ballets, the sloped stage was my biggest fear. Each night before a performance, I had horrible nightmares in which I was falling while dancing. I was suddenly waking up in themiddle of the night, terrified. Now, even if I am still a bit stressed, I became used to it.” “Becoming used to it,” “making it a habit,” these are the explanations we hear the most when we ask dancers how they deal with their stress but also with the constant physical efforts and pressure. “Somehow, Mrs. Dupont explains, they have to create mechanisms of work without losing their grace. I always remind them that when they are on stage, the audience wants to dream, not to see the hard work and commitment behind the ballet.”

The very first spectators begin to enter the Opera. In the audience, we can feel people’sexcitement. What makes the Garnier Opera unique in the world is its ceiling decorated with Chagall’s painting which modernity creates a deep contrast with the ancient style of the rest of the building. Backstage, the dancers are removing their sweatpants, that were keeping them warm to prevent muscle strains. “When we remove our warm clothes and put on our pointes- for the girls- it means that we are about to begin, explains Marie, a Coryphée.”

On stage, 30 minutes before the show, technicians are still trying to fix one of the ballet set. The big wood door, which is a crucial piece of the set, tends to move when dancers run and jump around. And according to Jean, the chief technician, this is a concerning issue. “I have been working as a technician at the Opera for 20 years, so it is not the first time that I have to deal with a last- minute fixing. With my colleagues, we are all the more vigilant that we know that Bayadere’s settings are quite heavy and cumbersome. It is true that dancers have to deal with the stage fright, but I can assure you that we are sometimes as stressed as them!” In the middle of the turmoil, Leonore and Germain stay calm and concentrated. Tonight, they are the two principal dancers, and this is their first time performing as Solor and Nikiya together. “When we are dancing together, we both have a small ritual with Leonore, says Germain. Ten minutes before performing, we hug one another, and we whisper calmly It is going to be alright, we can do it. It is the most empowering mantra that works for us. After that, there are no more questions, no more stress and we dance to enjoy ourselves.”

7.50 pm. The Opera lights dim while a recorded voice reminds the audience to switch off phones. For the occasion, the conductor and its musicians wear a black suit and a bow tie, contrasting with the bright red curtains above them. Eight ballerinas introduce the first scene before fading away, letting Nikiya dancing alone on stage. Behind the curtain, the first musical notes resonate. Johanna, Lucie and Lola are among the eight first dancers opening the ballet, they are waiting for the ultimate sign to enter on stage. With a mischievous smile, Johanna whispers, “Dancing with a ponytail is so strange... I am so used to have a bun...”. Lucie retorts her last reflection to Johanna, before stepping forward on stage: “This is why dancing La Bayadère is so magic.”

E.R.