VALENTINE COLASANTE

Though she prepares every show with the utmost seriousness, for her dancing must remain a source of play and joy – even amidst all the patience, honesty and resilience that have shaped her journey from schoolgirl to the top of the hierarchy at the Paris Opera Ballet. Now that she has learned to turn pressure into freedom and feedback into growth, the French star opens up about the balance between discipline and spontaneity, finding herself in Balanchine’s crystalline precision and Kylián’s human depth, and the muscle memory that once saved her in Don Quixote. From moments of desert-crossing she doesn’t recall with sadness to the joy of her debut as Aurora, Valentine Colasante insists on remaining instinctive and true to herself – a philosophy rooted in the unwavering support of her family.

Interview by Alessandro BIZZOTTO