Claude Bessy

Claude Bessy

Born: October 21, 1932
in Paris, France
Claude Bessy (born in Paris, 20 October 1932) is a French ballerina, ballet master of the Paris Opera Ballet (1970–1971) and director of the Paris Opera Ballet School (1972–2004).

Bessy trained at the Paris Opera Ballet School from the age of ten, the youngest student ever admitted, and joined the Paris Opera Ballet at age 13, the youngest danseuse ever admitted. In 1956, she was promoted to étoile, the Ballet's highest rank. Bessy was closely associated with Serge Lifar and created leading roles in his 1951 Snow White, 1955 Noces fantastiques and 1958 Daphnis and Chloe. She worked with John Cranko, who made his 1955 La Belle Hêlène on her, and George Skibine, who made a second Daphnis and Chloe on Bessy in 1959.

Bessy was featured in Gene Kelly's film Invitation to the Dance (1956), and four years later he created Pas de dieux at the Paris Opera for her. She also made many television appearances. Bessy has staged ballets for the Comédie Française and Opéra Comique, dances for the musical My Fair Lady (1984) and continues to stage the ballets of Lifar throughout Europe.

As director of the Paris Opera Ballet School, she introduced profound reforms to the teaching regime which led to the birth of a new generation of highly technical dancers like Sylvie Guillem, Patrick Dupond, Élisabeth Platel, Marie-Claude Pietragalla, and succeeded in organising the construction of a new school building in Nanterre inaugurated in 1987.

Bessy was named to France's Ordre national du Mérite (dignity of the Grand Cross, its highest class), in 2009.

Source: Article "Claude Bessy (dancer)" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Movies for Claude Bessy...

Title: Fan School
Character: Self
Released: January 30, 1977
Type: TV
Host Jacques Martin invites different talented children from various backgrounds to showcase their beautiful voices. The participants entertain and wow the audience with their lovely performances.
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Maître Bolbec et son mari
Title: Maître Bolbec et son mari
Character: Cécile Pointet
Released: June 22, 1973
Type: Movie
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Title: Le Grand Échiquier
Character: Self
Released: January 12, 1972
Type: TV
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Title: Cadet Rousselle
Character: Self - Dancer
Released: November 4, 1971
Type: TV
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Title: Samedi soir
Character: Self
Released: January 9, 1971
Type: TV
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Title: Discorama
Character: Self
Released: February 4, 1959
Type: TV
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Vive les vacances
Title: Vive les vacances
Released: December 24, 1958
Type: Movie
Roger and Jeannot, two jolly good fellows, are workers in a car factory. When the summer holidays come they merrily mount their scooter and head for the French Riviera where they intend to live cheerful holidays. They finally reach their destination after going through a host of colorful misadventures on the road and are soon caught into an imbroglio. Indeed, after boarding a yacht following two sailors, the boat sails away and they are unable to disembark, at least for a while. This is only a minor problem since they are immediately hired as mechanics and cooks, to everyone's satisfaction. To crown it all, there is Graziella, the niece of the king of naphtha, whose endearing charms do not leave Roger insensitive. And the belle has a lady friend by the name of Ingrid, who happens to be as rich as she is, and who kindles Jeannot's flame. But things are not as simple as they appear.
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A Night in the Balearics
Title: A Night in the Balearics
Character: Alma Vargas
Released: May 14, 1957
Type: Movie
Mrs. Vargas has decided that her daughter Alma will marry Duke Pablo Dominguez, a good match for her, but not to the young lady's taste. Knowing that discussion was pointless, Alma decided to run away rather than consent to a union she found repugnant. A brave truck driver takes her to the South of France, where she sets sail for the Balearic Islands. On the boat, she meets two friendly stowaways, Miguel and Pierrot. Penniless, Alma finds work in an inn deserted by customers. Miguel and Pierrot manage to get themselves hired to liven up the room with their songs, and they soon attract a large, mostly female, clientele.
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Ballet terrain vague
Title: Ballet terrain vague
Released: January 1, 1957
Type: Movie
Short film based upon a ballet by Yves Bonnat & Françoise Adret
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Invitation to the Dance
Title: Invitation to the Dance
Character: The Model
Released: May 22, 1956
Type: Movie
Three completely different stories are told through dance.
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Dream Ballerina
Title: Dream Ballerina
Released: October 23, 1950
Type: Movie
A young dancer, disappointed with her debut on stage, has three dreams: fame in dancing at the Paris Opera, wealth through her marriage to an important jeweler, and love in the person of a petty hood. Disappointed even in her dreams, the ballerina takes refuge in her art.