Founded in 2019, the Royal Opera’s Baroque Dance Academy is part of the rich choreographic history of the Palace of Versailles, where dance has always played an essential role. Following its 2022 and 2024 editions, the Academy continues its mission to pass on this art form to young dancers, offering them the opportunity to discover and deepen their understanding of its distinctive characteristics.

Led by the Royal Opera Productions and Château de Versailles Spectacles, the Academy helps preserve and renew the Baroque dance repertoire. Across its various editions, the Academy has brought together nearly 74 dancers to explore and practise this discipline.

The Academy aims to pass on the fundamentals of Baroque dance to a new generation of artists, enabling them to discover its codes, techniques and distinctive stylistic features.

In doing so, it helps preserve and transmit a living choreographic heritage while encouraging today’s performers to make it their own.

Designed for dancers at pre-professional level, the Academy offers an immersive experience in the world of Baroque dance.

Under the artistic direction of choreographer Pierre-François Dollé, and with guidance from a team of artistic practitioners, participants are introduced to the fundamentals of this discipline through a programme combining technique, interpretation and knowledge of the repertoire.

This experience allows participants to deepen their practice, refine their artistic sensibility and explore the close relationship between dance, music and interpretation, working alongside artists with complementary approaches.

The Academy is part of a broader artistic initiative closely linked to the development of the Royal Opera Ballet.

Following the Academy, selected participants may be invited to join the Ballet and take part in performances and events presented by Château de Versailles Spectacles, as well as certain opera productions at the Royal Opera.

The Ballet thus brings the Baroque repertoire to life through a variety of productions and artistic events. Today, it comprises 25 dancers, all of whom are graduates of previous editions of the Baroque Dance Academy.

This pathway from training to stage performance allows dancers to continue exploring this art form through direct involvement with the artists and productions of the Royal Opera Ballet.

The Baroque Dance Academy is a project led by the Royal Opera Productions and Château de Versailles Spectacles.

Find out more about the application requirements and schedule for the next edition of the Baroque Dance Academy in the dedicated documents below :