Jean-Chris­to­phe Mail­lot

Born in 1960, Jean-Christophe Maillot studied dance and piano at the Conservatoire National de Région de Tours, before joining the Rosella Hightower International School of Dance in Cannes until winning in the Prix de Lausanne (scholarship prize) in 1977. He was then hired by John Neumeier at the Hamburg Ballet, where he danced in principal roles as a soloist for five years. An accident brought his dancing career to an abrupt end.

In 1983, he was appointed choreographer and director of the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Tours, which he made a National Choreographic Center in 1989. He created around twenty ballets for this company and in 1985, founded the Dance Festival, "Le Chorégraphique". In 1987, he created “Le Mandarin Merveilleux” for Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, which was a great success.

In 1993, he was appointed Director-Choreographer of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo by H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover. His arrival at Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo set the company on a new path that quickly developed the level of maturity and excellence for which this company of 50 dancers has been renowned for 30 years. He has created almost 45 ballets for the company, some of which, such as “Vers un pays sage” (1995), “Romeo and Juliet” (1996), “Cinderella” (1999), “La Belle” (2001), “Le Songe” (2005), “Altro Canto” (2006), “Faust” (2007), “LAC” (2011), “CHORE” (2013), “Casse-Noisette Compagnie” (2013), “Core meu” (2019), “Coppél-i.A.” (2019) ... have forged the reputation of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo across the world. Several of these works are now included in the repertoires of major international ballet companies, such as the Grands Ballets Canadiens, the Royal Swedish Ballet, the Korean National Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre and the Béjart Ballet Lausanne. In 2014, he creates “La Mégère Apprivoisée” for the Ballet of Bolshoi Theatre.

In 2011, dance in Monaco underwent a major and historical change. Under the presidency of H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover, the Ballets de Monte-Carlo now incorporates Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo Company, the Monaco Dance Forum and the Princess Grace Academy under a single institution. Jean-Christophe Maillot was appointed head of this institution which now unites the excellence of an international company, the benefits of a multi-format festival and the potential of a high-level school.

Photo © Felix Dol Maillot