Jean Babilée

He is considered to have been one of modern ballet's greatest performers, and the first French dancer to gain international acclaim.[2][4] After the war, Babilée returned to dance, joining the Soirées de la Danse, which later became Les Ballet des Champs Elysées.It was said that he could leap better than any dancer since Nijinsky, and in the 1946 premiere of Le Jeune Homme et la Mort he hung by his neck on a gallows for one minute, supported only by wrapping one arm around a pillar.[6] In 1984, at the age of 61, he performed Le Jeune Homme et la Mort with the Ballet de Marseille.[6] The 2000 documentary film Le Mystère Babilée, directed by Patrick Bensard, reconstructs Babilée's career through interviews with the dancer, excerpts from his choreographic work, and recollections by observers and collaborators including Béjart, Christian Lacroix, Jean-Paul Goude and Yvette Chauviré.
FrenchdancerchoreographerballetParis Opéra Ballet SchoolWorld War IIJewishWehrmachtParis Opera BalletVel' d'Hiv RoundupGermanyFrench ResistanceMaquisTouraineJean CocteauLe Jeune Homme et la MortNijinskygallowsLe Ballet de l'Opéra de ParisAmerican Ballet TheatreBallet du RhinStrasbourgMaurice Béjartdocumentary filmChristian LacroixJean-Paul GoudeYvette Chauviréarchive.today