2022 Concours de Promotion at the Paris Opera Ballet – Stepping Up

How do dancers in the world of classical ballet obtain a promotion? The question is rarely asked because most often it is assumed that a dancer’s rank is determined by a company’s Artistic Director. Not so at the Paris Opera Ballet, a 154-member troupe that can trace its lineage to the 17^th century. Instead of being rewarded for a powerful performance on stage or dancing a strong season, POB dancers are invited to participate in the annual concours de promotion. This “promotional competition” was inaugurated in 1860 at the advice of Marie Taglioni and other POB educators. Because it is closed to the public, the concours (as it’s known for short) evokes a certain air of mystery and is often misunderstood by international balletomanes.

23. 12. 2022 Reports

Paris Opera Ballet. Foto: Agathe Poupeney.

Author Marisa C. Hayes

What exactly does happen at the concours? Every year, members of the corps de ballet and demi-soloists seeking a promotion undertake an imposed variation in addition to one of their choice (any choreography in the company’s vast repertoire is eligible). Dancers prepare with the assistance of designated coaches and are fitted for appropriate costumes, performing before a jury composed of both POB staff and external experts. The concours is held on the stage of the company’s historic opera house, Palais Garnier, with a handful of colleagues and members of the press in attendance.

Only the Paris Opera Ballet’s highest rank of étoile is awarded by nomination. Otherwise, the company’s ascending echelons, from quadrille to sujet compete in their respective categories for a fixed number of promotions that vary from year to year. This variability is due to the company’s permanent contracts that offer a rare stability in the dance world. While the contract does not guarantee a minimum amount of stage time or roles – those are earned through rank and merit – it does provide an annual salary and benefits until compulsory retirement at age 42. For this reason, there are not many departures within the company, the downside of which creates few openings for promotion among the younger dancers.

During this year’s concours de promotion on November 4 and 5, there were two openings in the rank of coryphée and sujet to be filled for both men and women, as well as one coveted opening for a male and female premier danseur (soloist and principal roles). The largest number of competitors was found at the rank of quadrille, entry level corps de ballet dancers for whom a promotion to coryphée leads to increased casting and a higher salary. Among the two successful candidates for promotion, Hortense Millet-Maurin was a surprise due to her new status in the company of only a few months, although her many years at the POB School reflect the French style the company values. Her first concours was a solid display of lyrical grace, without a hint of nerves that often plague more experienced dancers. First performing the imposed variation from Act I of Nureyev’s Paquita, Millet-Maurin and Luna Peigné – the other promoted quadrille who joined the company straight out of its affiliated school in 2019 – reiterated their classical proficiency during the second round of free variations. In total, eighteen women performed beautifully, proving just how much talent remains underused among the quadrilles. And therein lies the most democratic aspect of the concours. How well would an artistic director see a dancer relegated to the last row of the corps de ballet during the performance season? For quadrilles, the concours provides a valuable opportunity for visibility that unveils soloist potential.

During the men’s competition, the stand out coryphée competing for one of the available sujet (demi-soloist) slots was Guillaume Diop. Although talented corps members far outnumber the available openings for promotion, Diop was a clear first choice for his soaring ballon and clean lines in both the imposed variation (Pierre Lacotte’s Marco Spado Act II) and as Siegfried in a variation from Nureyev’s Swan Lake. The rising star possesses that extra charisma that makes his performances memorable, outshining many of his higher-ranking peers. Although one cannot officially skip a level in the company’s ranks, Diop has recently been cast in principal roles alongside étoiles, a rare incident of talent overriding the company’s hierarchy. His quick ascension will likely continue next year if a premier danseur position becomes open.

The concept of a concours that determines promotions within a ballet company is the subject of much polemic. International fans of the POB often voice surprise when they learn of this unfamiliar system. Are mere minutes on stage once a year enough to prove one’s merit? Within the company, some higher ranking dancers also contest the concours because they must juggle soloist roles on stage while preparing for the concours simultaneously. Finding the time to balance rehearsals, performances, as well as coaching sessions for the concours is a challenge physically and psychologically. In a recent interview, the POB’s new Director of Dance, José Martinez, confirmed that the concours de promotion should be reexamined. Sympathetic to the company’s soloists, he recognized their struggles and noted that they should be judged based on their performances during the season. However, he underscored the importance of the concours for the corps de ballet dancers who “finally have the stage to themselves” to show what they can do. While it may evolve, the concours in some format is likely to remain a singular event in the life of the Paris Opera Ballet.

Written from the Councours de promotion on the 4^th and 5^th of November at Palais Garnier.

Promoted Dancers - 2022

Women

Première danseuse

Sujets

Coryphées

Hortense MILLET-MAURIN

Men