Marie-Jean-Augustin Vestris, known as Auguste Vestris (27 March 1760 - 5 December 1842) was a French dancer.

Born in Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

 as the illegitimate son of Gaëtan Vestris

Gaétan Vestris

Gaetano Apolline Baldassarre Vestris , French ballet dancer, was born in Florence and made his debut at the opera in 1749....

 and of Marie Allard, he was dubbed "le dieu de la danse", (The god of dance), a popular title bestowed on the leading male dancer of each generation (previous 'Gods of the Dance' included his father Gaetan). He made his debut in a divertissement "La Cinquantaine" in 1772 and was immediately recognized for his talent. He became a soloist in 1776 and premiere dancer in 1778.
After his retirement he trained many famous dancers of the 19th century including August Bournonville

August Bournonville

August Bournonville was a Danish ballet master and choreographer. August was the son of Antoine Bournonville, a dancer and choreographer trained under the French choreographer, Jean Georges Noverre, and the nephew of Julie Alix de la Fay, née Bournonville, of the Royal Swedish Ballet.August was...

, Marius Petipa

Marius Petipa

Victor Marius Alphonse Petipa was a French ballet dancer, teacher and choreographer. Petipa is considered to be the most influential ballet master and choreographer of ballet that has ever lived....

, Lucien Petipa

Lucien Petipa

Lucien Petipa was a French ballet dancer in the early 19th century and was the brother of the famous balletmaster of the Russian Imperial Ballet , Marius Petipa...

, Fanny Elssler

Fanny Elssler

Fanny Elssler - 27 November 1884), born Franziska Elßler, was an Austrian ballerina of the 'Romantic Period'.- Life :Daughter of Johann Florian Elssler, a second generation employee of Prince Esterhazy in Eisenstadt. Both Johann and his brother Josef were employed as copyists to the Prince's...

, Jules Perrot

Jules Perrot

Jules-Joseph Perrot was a dancer and choreographer who later became Balletmaster of the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia...

, and Marie Taglioni

Marie Taglioni

Marie Taglioni was a famous Italian/Swedish ballerina of the Romantic ballet era, a central figure in the history of European dance.-Biography:...

. It was with Taglioni in 1835 that he performed a minuet at the age of 75.

Auguste Vestris is not to be confused with his son, Auguste Armand Vestris, who married the English actress Lucia Elizabeth Vestris

Lucia Elizabeth Vestris

Lucia Elizabeth Vestris was an English actress and a contralto opera singer, appearing in Mozart and Rossini works. While popular in her time, she was more notable as a theatre producer and manager...

 in 1813. Both Armand and a cousin Charles Vestris were also dancers.

External links

• The 'lost' Gainsborough portrait of Vestris