Jules Perrot was born in Lyon in 1810. Hired by the Théâtre de la Gaité (Paris), he studied with Vestris and then danced at the Théâtre de la Porte-Saint-Martin. He joined the Paris Opera Ballet from 1830 to 1835, where he danced with Marie Taglioni, Fanny Elssler and Fanny Cerrito. He went to Naples where he met Carlotta Grisi, who became her student and dance partner. They performed together until their breaking-up in 1842. He staged for her Giselle in 1841 at the Paris Opera, among other ballets all inspired by the Romantic Movement. Perrot led a successful international career. He was ballet master at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London, at the Scala de Milan and at the Imperial Theatre in St. Petersburg. Back in France in 1861, he gave classes at the Paris Opera. Edgar Degas immortalized him in his painting The Dance class in 1876. Jules Perrot died in 1892.

Jules PerrotChoreographer