But in the wings lurks a black-clad figureโa symbol for the sordid backstage reality of the ballerina. Throughout the 19th century, it raised the bar for danceโbut on the backs of many exploited young women. The Paris Opera House in the 19th century. Girls who studied at the school became apprentices to the Opera; only after years of militaristic training and a series of brutal exams could they get guaranteed, long-term contracts.
In the meantime, they attended classes and auditioned for small, walk-on roles. The building also included a lavish room called the foyer de la danse. Located directly behind the stage, it was a place where ballet dancers could warm up and practice their moves before and during performances.
But it was designed with male patrons, not dancers, in mind. The foyer was a place for them to socialize withโand propositionโballet dancers. Subscribers could, and did, go backstage to ogle women. Due to their social status, they were free to socialize with them, too. A painting by Jean Beraud of ballet dancers in the wings of the opera house, For dancers, though, it was a place where they were subject to scrutiny and harassment.
Since subscribers were so powerful, they could influence who made it into coveted roles and who was fired from the ballet. For many Paris Opera ballerinas from poor backgrounds, a relationship with a rich man was their only chance at stability. Some dancers managed to advance without a rich patron, becoming celebrities on the merits of their own abilities, notes historian Lorraine Coons. But even those dancers who did succeed independently were looked down on as suspected prostitutes.
During the s and s, he produced hundreds of drawings and paintings of Paris Opera dancers, relying on his friends to secure backstage passes so he could sketch the dancers in their habitat.
