Paris Opera Ballet: the Premiers Danseurs (first soloists)

The first soloists of the Paris Opera Ballet are called "premiers danseurs" (first dancers) for the men, and "premières danseuses" for the women.

Usually the premiers danseurs dance some second roles in ballets (such as the first act pas de trois or pas de quatre in Swan Lake, Myrtha in Giselle...) They also replace the étoiles in main roles.

The present "premiers danseurs"

There are now 7 "premiers danseurs" and 8 "premières danseuses. They have succeeded at the Paris Opera Ballet inner competition 3 times: to become successively coryphées, sujets and then premiers danseurs. Some of them will become étoiles, if the director of dance will decide to choose them...

• Female "premières danseuses":
  • Eleonora Abbagnato (since 2001)
  • Karin Averty (since 1983)
  • Nolwenn Daniel (since december 2001)
  • Ghislaine Fallou (since 1996)
  • Marie-Agnès Gillot (since 1999)
  • Delphine Moussin (since 1994)
  • Claire-Marie Osta (since 1999)
  • Laetitia Pujol (since 2000)
  • Nathalie Riqué (since 1992)
  
  
• Male "premiers danseurs":
  • Jérémie Bélingard (since 2001)
  • Yann Bridard (since 1996)
  • Lionel Delanoë (since 1991)
  • Benjamin Pech (since 1999)
  • Karl Paquette (since 2001)
  • Eric Quilleré (retired in 2002)
  • Wilfried Romoli

Previous premiers danseurs

Most of the present étoiles previously were premiers danseurs. But there also were some bright premiers danseurs who never became étoiles, for various reasons.

Among the previous premiers danseurs, there were:
• Previous female "premières danseuses":
  • Clotilde Vayer (she retired in 1997, and now is an assistant of the POB ballet master).
  • Josyane Consoli
  • Sylvie Clavier
• Previous male "premiers danseurs"
  • Olivier Patey (he retired in 1997)
  • Stéphane Prince
  • Jacques Namont
  • Gilbert Mayer (now one of the teachers of the ballet).
  • Jacques Namont