He was the most famous French classical dancer to the general public.
The star dancer Patrick Dupond died this Friday at the age of 61, following a "devastating illness".
Very young, he found his way into classical dance after trying football and judo.
At the age of 21, he was crowned star of the Opera, he was for a long time the darling of the institution.
In 1981, Patrick Dupond appeared in "She dances alone", a documentary drama about the daughter of Russian dancer Waslaw Nijinsky, directed by Robert Dornhelm.
The virtuoso confided at the time that he was “moved” to participate “in this great moment of dance and emotion” dedicated to Kyra Nijinsky.
At 31, he took charge of the dance and from 1990 to 1995, he combined the functions of boss and dancer, before becoming a star again.
But two years later, he was dismissed for having accepted, without the agreement of his employer, to sit on the jury of the Cannes Film Festival.
In 2000, he was the victim of a serious car accident.
His body is broken by 134 fractures and the doctors tell him that he will no longer dance.
After a few appearances in the cinema, he turns to the small screen.
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He participated in the reality TV program "La ferme des celebrities" in 2005, then became a member of the jury of "France has an incredible talent" on M 6, and of "Dance with the stars" on TF1 in 2018. "Everyone. has the right to dance, everyone can surpass themselves, ”he said at the time.
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Several personalities from the world of culture reacted to the announcement of his death.
In a statement, the Paris Opera has expressed its "emotion" and its "deep sadness" after the disappearance of the dancer.
“His person and his name will remain attached to a part of the history of the institution”.