This is the kind of major cultural event which will not only fascinate dance and classical music enthusiasts, but also anyone keen on history and sociology. Until the 10th April, the Centre national de la danse is rediscovering for us the legend of the Ballet Russe, with an exhibition accompanied by shows, dance conferences and films.

From 1909 to 1929, producer Serge Diaghilev’s company, led by the legendary dancer Nijinski, overturned established aesthetics and broke free from ballet’s conventions. What is nowadays considered normal in dance (the body’s expressiveness, several short ballets shown in one evening, the importance of the male body, the active role of the music, the paintings and costumes) exists thanks to the Ballet Russe, the first independent company to tour the world, and which created over 80 choreographies, including the “scandalous” The Rite of Spring by Stravinsky.

The exhibition revisits the politics and sociology of the time, stressing their legacy by analysing the shock waves they produced up to 1959 (such as the use of patronage or the variety of stages on which they performed). This is also an opportunity to rediscover the world of parties and the creative turmoil rife at the beginning of the 20th century, personified by figures such as Cocteau, Balanchine, Ida Rubinstein, Serge Lifar and the marquise of Cuevas.