Dominique Dupuy | |
---|---|
Born | 31 October 1930 |
Died | 1 May 2024 | (aged 93)
Occupation(s) | Dancer, choreographer, author |
Spouse | |
Relatives | Marcel Michaud (father-in-law) |
Dominique Dupuy (31 October 1930 – 1 May 2024) was a French dancer and choreographer of modern dance. He is best known as a pioneer of modern dance in France. Additionally, he ran a choreographic centre as well as an annual dance festival in Provence.
Dominique Dupuy was born on 31 October 1930 in Paris. [1] [2] He was first trained as an eight-year-old by choreographer Jean Weidt and later by Doryta Brown. [2] He was then trained by the American choreographer Jerome Andrews. [3] [4] During the Second World War, he left Paris for rural France, and he learned how to act. [2] Shortly after the war, he resumed lessons with Weidt, and took lessons in classical dance with Olga Preobrajenska, Nicolas Zverev, and Merce Cunningham. [1] [2] [5] Additionally, he took more acting lessons with Charles Dullin and Marcel Marceau. [2]
He started his career as a dancer for his former teacher, Jean Weidt, where he met his future wife. [2] Shortly afterwards, as Weidt returned to Germany, he established a dance company with his wife called Les Ballets Modernes de Paris. [1] [2] [6] Together, they have choreographed many dance performances. [2] Their dances have been inspired by Vaslav Nijinsky, Deryk Mendel, Michel Fokine and Régine Chopinot. [5] One of their main dancers has been José Montalvo. [7]
Later, they also established the Mas de la danse, a choreographic center in Fontvieille, Bouches-du-Rhône, in the South of France. [5] On top of dance performances, they also organized conferences on dance open to the public. Additionally, they established the annual Les Baux-de-Provence Dance Festival in Les Baux-de-Provence. [5]
He has also taught dance and practised as a choreographer on his own. For example, he served as the Director of the Dance Department at the Institute of Musical and Choreographic Pedagogy from 1991 to 1995. [1] More recently, in 2012–2013, he choreographed Act Without Words I and Act Without Words II, two short plays by Samuel Beckett. [8] The first one was performed at the Théâtre national de Chaillot in Paris. [8]
He has been called a pioneer of modern dance in France. [5]
He was married to Françoise Dupuy, the daughter of art critic Marcel Michaud (1898–1958), and also a dancer, since 1951. [1] [2] [5] They met during a dance class taught by Jean Weidt. [5] Françoise died in September 2022. [9] Dupuy died on 1 May 2024, at the age of 93. [10]