Hugo Marchand (born ) is a French ballet dancer. He joined the
Paris Opera Ballet
The Paris Opera Ballet () is a French ballet company that is an integral part of the Paris Opera. It is the oldest national ballet company, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it. It is still regarded a ...
in 2011 and was named '' étoile'' in 2017, at age 23.
Early life
Marchand was born in Nantes. He trained at Nantes Conservatory, before leaving home to study at the
Paris Opera Ballet School
The Paris Opera Ballet () is a French ballet company that is an integral part of the Paris Opera. It is the oldest national ballet company, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it. It is still regarded a ...
for four years. He stated that he "didn't like the atmosphere or the rigid structure very much".
Career
In 2011, Marchand joined the
Paris Opera Ballet
The Paris Opera Ballet () is a French ballet company that is an integral part of the Paris Opera. It is the oldest national ballet company, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it. It is still regarded a ...
. In 2014, he won the third prize at the
Varna International Ballet Competition
The Varna International Ballet Competition is a biennial ballet competition held in Varna, Bulgaria. The competition was founded in 1964 and subsequently held in 1965 and 1966, and then every two years starting in 1968. Many dancers have gained th ...
. The same year he was spotted by
Benjamin Millepied
Benjamin Millepied (; born 10 June 1977) is a French dancer and choreographer, who has lived and worked in the United States since joining the New York City Ballet in 1995, where he became a soloist in 1998 and a principal in 2002. He has also ...
, who had just become the director of dance, and Marchand began understudying for lead roles, which led to his debuts in ''
The Nutcracker
''The Nutcracker'' ( rus, Щелкунчик, Shchelkunchik, links=no ) is an 1892 two-act ballet (""; russian: балет-феерия, link=no, ), originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchai ...
'', ''
La Bayadère
''La Bayadère'' ("the temple dancer") ( ru. «Баядерка», ''Bayaderka'') is a ballet, originally staged in four acts and seven tableaux by French choreographer Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus. The ballet was staged especiall ...
'' and Balanchine's '' Theme and Variations''. Marchand was promoted every year under Millepied's tenure, and the pattern continued after
Aurélie Dupont
Aurélie Dupont (born 15 January 1973 in Paris) is a French ballet dancer who performed with the Paris Opera Ballet as an '' Étoile''.
She began her career in dance in 1983 when she entered the Paris Opera Ballet School (''L’École de danse de ...
took over.
In March 2017, Marchand was promoted to '' étoile'' following his unexpected debut as James in Lacotte's ''
La Sylphide
''La Sylphide'' ( en, The Sylph; da, Sylfiden) is a romantic ballet in two acts. There were two versions of the ballet; the original choreographed by Filippo Taglioni in 1832, and a second version choreographed by August Bournonville in 1836. ...
'' when the company was touring in Japan. Months later, he was awarded
Prix Benois de la Danse The Benois de la Danse is a ballet competition held annually in Moscow. Founded by the International Dance Association in 1991, it takes place each year on or around April 29 and it's judged by a jury. The members of this jury change every year and ...
for his performance as Romeo in Nureyev's '' Romeo and Juliet''. His repertory includes classical ballets, as well as works by Millepied, George Balanchine,
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Robbins (born Jerome Wilson Rabinowitz; October 11, 1918 – July 29, 1998) was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television.
Among his nu ...
,
John Cranko
John Cyril Cranko (15 August 1927 – 26 June 1973) was a South African ballet dancer and choreographer with the Royal Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet.
Life and career
Early life
Cranko was born in Rustenburg in the former province of Transv ...
,
Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev ( ; Tatar/ Bashkir: Рудольф Хәмит улы Нуриев; rus, Рудо́льф Хаме́тович Нуре́ев, p=rʊˈdolʲf xɐˈmʲetəvʲɪtɕ nʊˈrʲejɪf; 17 March 19386 January 1993) was a Soviet ...
and William Forsythe.
In 2021, his memoir ''Danser'' was published. Marchand stated he thought he was too young to write one but the editor told him she "wanted to hear the voice of a young person talking about following their passion, and what the costs were of that". He wrote it with the help of Caroline de Bodinat. In the book, he also wrote that under the Paris Opera Ballet's hierarchy, dancers are "bullied, humiliated and subjected to disparaging remarks". Later that year, he worked with colleague
Hannah O'Neill
Hannah O'Neill (born January 8, 1993) is a New Zealand ballet dancer who is an '' étoile'' with the Paris Opera Ballet.
Early life
O'Neill was born in Japan to a Japanese mother, Sumie, and a New Zealand father, Chris, a professional rugby pl ...