PERROT, JULES (JOSEPH)

born Aug. 18, 1810, Lyon died Aug. 24, 1892, Param, Fr. French virtuoso dancer and choreographer whose masterpieces of Romantic ballet include Pas de Quatre (1845), composed for four of the 19th century's leading ballerinas and frequently revived in the 20th century; Perrot is usually credited with choreographing Giselle's dances in Giselle (1841). He studied with Auguste Vestris and Salvatore Vigan, two of the principal exponents of expressive ballet (as opposed to pure or formal ballet). He made his debut in 1830 at the Paris Opra, where, despite the period's prejudice against male dancers, he was highly applauded for both his classical and his mime dancing. A combination of knee trouble and the professional jealousy of his partner Marie Taglioni led to his resignation in 1835. He then toured Europe (1835-40) as a dancer and choreographer and in Naples was joined by the young ballerina Carlotta Grisi, whom he trained and later married. Perrot again danced in Paris in 1840, but only Grisi was hired to perform at the Opra. Since he frequently arranged her solos, his choreography is now believed to include that of her title role in Giselle, still considered a consummate challenge to a ballerina's artistry; Jean Coralli, however, received all official credit for choreographing Giselle. From 1842 to 1848 Perrot worked in London, making it an important ballet centre by choreographing such ballets as Ondine (1843), Esmeralda (1844), and the Pas de Quatre, staged for Marie Taglioni, Carlotta Grisi, Lucile Grahn, and Fanny Cerrito. In 1848 Perrot became premier danseur at the Imperial Theatre in St. Petersburg, where he created eight more ballets and revived many others. Some of his ballets, such as Esmeralda and Giselle, remained in the Russian repertoire long after his departure from St. Petersburg (1859) and eventually became part of the post-Revolution Soviet ballet. On his return to France, Perrot attempted to revive his major works but was unsuccessful, since technical virtuosity had become more popular in western Europe than the expressive and dramatic elements that characterized his ballets.