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Delphine Moussin: new étoile of the POB


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Delphine Moussin has been named an étoile by Gérard Mortier and Brigitte Lefèvre after tonight performance of Nureyev "Cinderella".

I was there and I am very happy for her because she is a great artist(tonight she danced with her arm hurt). Of course, she should have been named earlier (she is 36), just like Wilfried Romoli, but better late... And it's also a hope for others...

CONGRATULATIONS!

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Thanks for the news, sophia. Do you know if anything has been published about it yet (I haven't found anything on the POB site) ?

I too think Moussin is a lovely dancer, she has danced many great roles (Odette-Odile, Kitri, Gamzatti...) and also has been especially good in the Balanchine and Robbins repertory (I have fond memories of her in "In the Night" and "Liebeslieder Walzer", for example). Gérard Mortier's policy is quite surprising indeed, as no female dancer had ever been promoted to étoile so late (she'll have to retire in only 6 years). Actually it's difficult to know what to expect now for the next promotions...

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I think it's too early for the news, but I will put some informations as soon and as quickly as possible.

Maybe Gérard Mortier's policy is surprising, but I appreciate the fact that now eveything is possible for the dancers, even the more than thirty years old. Everything is not determined for ever. During Mr Gall's "reign", many dancers of great talent were more or less forgotten (of course, it always happens unfortunately) and for instance, one of them, Nathalie Aubin seemed very touched and happy yesterday.

Personally, I don't think of Mrs Moussin's age, I think of her great talent, her great emotional power: youth, even if it is fashionable today, is not a sufficient value for me.

As far as the future is concerned, I have no idea at all of what will happen. We have great female talents who will probably be "crowned" in the future: Miss Ould-Braham, Miss Gilbert and I could add some other dancers in lower ranks like Miss Sabrina Mallem (who is not "so young"). But who knows? Very good male dancers among the youngest like Mr Magnenet, Mr Hoffalt and the eldest like Mr Pech, Mr Thibault (finally recognized), Mr Duquenne, Mr Phavorin (two dancers who should be "premiers danseurs" too and who have been forgotten in the past competitions for the benefit of others, I don't mean this year, I mean in the past). Anyway, I don't think there will be a new nomination for the present year or the present season, but I have no relationships with the administration, I am not in their mind...

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Estelle, you have quoted some great roles Delphine Moussin has danced in the past. I also will add her "Sylphide", who was extraordinary last july (she danced with Mr Pech, that was a marvellous evening, the best for me), Myrtha in "Giselle" and Anastasia in "Ivan le terrible" (those "piétinés"!!!). She is good in Forsythe's works too.

Next year, we should see her in "Swanlake" in Odette/Odile (this year, she danced the role in Bordeaux).

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To tell the truth, I saw neither Eleonora Abbagnato nor Mathilde Froustey as Anastasia. But, what Delphine Moussin did in "Ivan le terrible" can actually give an idea of her great and uncommon artistic talent. Very sensitive, I agree, and very lyrical (and it's not so common at the Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris) and also very sensible. I still remember her fabulous "piétinés" in "Ivan" and in "Giselle" too. She is not a perfect technician like Aurélie Dupont for instance, but as far as I am concerned, I find her dance maybe more interesting.

I just add that she was chosen many times by Jiri Kylian for his creations.

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I am not a specialist in dance vocabulary, but I would define "piétinés" (or "menées", maybe in english, you just say "bourrées") as a step in which the toes never leave the floor, the legs are crossed and the dancer seems to slide in perpetual motion across the floor. It can be done "en avant" (forward), "en arrière" (backward) or "suivi". The most famous example is the entrance of Myrtha at the beginning of "Giselle" act II. It requires high speed and lightness to be beautiful.

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There's a very short article about Delphine Moussin's promotion in the latest issue of the weekly magazine "VSD" [correction: "Paris-Match"] (and a longer article about the POB school), and it mentions the fact that she's three month pregnant with her second child (she and her husband, POB former dancer and ballet master Lionel Delanoë, already have a 6 yeard old son, Paul). So I guess it means we won't see her much next season... :o But that's great news for her and her husband ! :wink:

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