Isabelle Guérin

Isabelle Guérin in Serge Lifar's Ishtar at the Paris Opera in 1998, partnered by Sébastien Thill

(C)Photo Icare/ Moatti

Born in 1961.
Studies: Paris Conservatoire (1st prize), Paris Opera Dance School.
Company: Paris Opera Ballet since 1978, sujet since 1981, première danseuse in 1984, étoile since 1985.
She won the Pavlova prize in 1988, and the Benois prize in 1993.
Premieres at the Paris Opera:
- GV 10 (K. Armitage)- 1984, World premiere.
- Lilac Garden ( Tudor)- 1985
- Dark Elegies ( Tudor)- 1985
- Continuo ( Tudor)- 1985
- Before Nightfall (Nils Christe)- 1985, World premiere.
- Cinderella (version Nureyev)- 1986, World premiere.
- Symphony in 3 movements ( Balanchine )- 1987
- Soon (Daniel Ezralow)- 1987
- In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated (Forsythe)- 1987, World premiere.
- Four last lieder (Van Dantzig)- 1987
- Rules of the game (Tharp)- 1989, World premiere?
- Sinfonietta (Kylian)- 1989
- In the Night (Robbins)- 1989
- Carmen ( Petit )- 1990
- Push comes to shove (Tharp)- 1991
- Grand Pas (Tharp)- 1991
- Dances at a gathering (Robbins)- 1991
- La Bayadère (Noureev)- 1992 (role of Nikiya)
- The Concert (Robbins)- 1992
- Le Parc (Preljocaj)- 1994, World premiere.
- The Four Seasons (Robbins)- 1996
- IXth Symphony (Béjart)- 1996
- L'Arlésienne (Petit)- 1997
- Casanova (Angelin Preljocaj)- 1998, world premiere
- Woundwork I (Willliam Forsythe)- 1999, world premiere
And among her best roles:
Odette/ Odile in Swan Lake, Giselle , Juliette in Romeo and Juliet, En Sol (In G Major) (Robbins), Song of the Earth (MacMillan), Ishtar and Les Mirages (Lifar), Theme and Variations , Tzigane, Violin Concerto, Apollo , the 2nd movement of Palais de Cristal and the Choleric in The Four Temperaments ( Balanchine ), En Sol (In G major) (Robbins)...
Her favorite partner is Laurent Hilaire .
In the 1995-96 season, she danced (as far as I know):
Romeo and Juliet (as Juliet), La Bayadère (as Nikiya), En Sol (In G major), The Four Seasons, Le Parc, IXth Symphony.
In the 1996-97 season, she danced (uncomplete list):
Notre-Dame de Paris (as Esmeralda), Suite en Blanc, Fall River Legend, Capriccio, The sleeping beauty.
In the 1997-98 season, she danced (uncomplete list):
L'Arlésienne, Giselle, Casanova, Istar, L'histoire de Manon.
In the 1998-99 season, she danced/will dance (uncomplete list):
La Bayadère, In the Night, The Concert.
She also danced with the New York City Ballet as a guest dancer (in Stravinsky Violin Concerto, Sonatine, Union Jack...)
She was filmed in:
Cinderella (Nureyev- as a sister, around 1988), La Bayadère (Nureyev after Petipa- as Nikyia, in 1995), Notre Dame de Paris (Petit, around 1996), L'Arlésienne (Petit, in 1997).
Ms. Guerin's Nikiya is as sensual as in 1993, and her classical dancing has an astonishing amplitude, exemplified in the breadth of her leaps.
(Anna Kisselgoff, in the June 26, 1996 issue of the New York Times)

Capriccio had a zip and a brilliance that matched the bright glow of its ruby costumes. Isabelle Guérin and Agnes Letestu were the leading women - uncompromisingly and stunningly in command of each step and facet of their dances (...).
(Clement Crisp in the Dec 11, 1996 issue of the Financial Times)