Laurent Hilaire [SEP] native language
Laurent Hilaire
Laurent Hilaire (born 8 November 1962) is a French ballet dancer. Regarded as one of the greatest dancers to emerge from ballet over the past few decades, he was etoile (principal dancer) of the Paris Opera Ballet for 22 years. From 2011 he was the associate artistic director of the Paris Opera Ballet and a ballet master with the company from 2005 to 2014
Career.
Hilaire joined the Paris Opera Ballet school in 1975 and entered the company's corps de ballet in 1979, aged 17
but have been unlucky for years as far as climbing up the last step of the career ladder is concerned.
The Paris Opera Ballet School has churned out some of the most famous dancers of all time, such as Sylvie Guillem and Laurent Hilaire.
Yet Sylvie Guillem, being principal dancer since 1984, left the company in 1989 at the age of 24 because she wanted more freedom, the right to perform with other companies, an arrangement the management of the Paris Opera Ballet declined.
Laurent Hilaire was highly appreciated