Ballet National de Marseille

In November 1972, he presented his first creation, PINK FLOYD BALLET, performed live by the legendary rock band. Throughout his career, he continually pushed the boundaries of classical ballet and contemporary dance. In Marseille, he initiated collaborations with renowned artists, including fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, étoile dancer Mikhaïl Baryshnikov, and painters Keith Haring and David Hockney.

In 1981, the company became the Ballet National de Marseille and, eleven years later, moved into a space specifically designed by architect Roland Simounet to house both its activities and those of the École nationale de danse de Marseille, also founded by Roland Petit.

Recognized as a Centre Chorégraphique National in 1984, the Ballet National de Marseille was successively led after Roland Petit by Marie-Claude Pietragalla (1998-2004), Frédéric Flamand (2004-2014), and Emio Greco and Pieter C. Scholten (2015-2019), each developing new artistic dynamics and expanding outreach efforts across the region.

Appointed by the French Ministry of Culture and the city of Marseille, the collective (LA)HORDE took over the direction of the BNM in 2019. Following in the footsteps of their predecessors, they envision the institution as an open creative platform, welcoming all forms of artistic expression and collaboration.

For (LA)HORDE, the Ballet is a safe space, a place dedicated to young people and emerging artists, where new dynamics of performance and artistic circulation can be explored. In their transdisciplinary creations, they question the role of ballet in the digital age and constantly engage with pressing political issues of our time: diversity, inclusivity, and broader visibility for bodies and practices that institutional and heritage spaces have yet to fully embrace.