Sylvie Guillem

Sylvie Guillem was one of the most beloved ballerinas in France, well remembered for her appearances in Giselle, Swan Lake, and Don Quixote. She had been involved in gymnastics classes since she was a child, and it was evident that she possessed a natural skill and gift for flexibility and muscular movements.

Sylvie Guillem attracted the director's interest at the Paris Opera Ballet School, where she studied from 1977 to 1980. She joined the Paris Opera Ballet Company in 1981 and has been on a fast track to success since then. After two years with the company, she received her first solo part as the Queen of Driads in Don Quixote at the age of 17. Rudolf Nureyev, the director at the moment, made Guillem an étoile. Sylvie Guillem joined the Royal Dance as a principal guest artist, which allowed her to branch out beyond ballet.

Born: February 23, 1965 (age 56)

Nationality: French