VESTRIS, GAETANO (APOLLINE BALDASSARE)

born April 18, 1729, Florence died Sept. 23, 1808, Paris also called Gatan Vestris the finest French male ballet dancer of his time. With his parents, brothers, and sistersalmost all of whom had careers in the theatrehe went to Paris in 1747 and about a year later, at age 19, entered the Paris Opra ballet school, studying under Louis Dupr. Vestris danced briefly in the ensemble, was appointed soloist in 1751, and for the next 30 years enjoyed a succession of triumphs in the ballets of Jean-Barthlemy Lany, Pierre Gardel, and Jean-Georges Noverre. Because of his conceited ways, as well as his undisputed gifts, he was called, half ironically, the god of the dance.