It wasn't until 1630 that the public was admitted to France's court ballets. Before long, they had their first premiere ballerina, la première des premières danseuses, the "Queen of Dance."
Before La Fontaine’s debut in 1681 at the Paris Opéra as première danseuse in Jean-Baptiste Lully’s ballet Le Triomphe de l’amour, girls’ roles on the public stage had been taken by young men (ie. Drag).
Although hampered by the long, confining costumes and limited ballet technique of the time, La Fontaine’s grace and charm were such that she was called queen of the dance.
Not much is known about Mlle de la Fontaine. Historians have more information about her audience: rowdy, demanding, drunk, and often accompanied by dogs.
After dancing at the Opéra for about a decade, in such works as Persée, Amadis, Didon, and Le Temple de la paix, she retired to a convent.
Comments
0 comment