Marie Anne de Cupis de Camargo
Encyclopedia
Marie Anne de Cupis de Camargo (15 April 1710, Brussels
–28 April 1770, Paris
) sometimes known simply as La Gorda Camargo, was a French
/Belgian
dancer. The first woman to execute the entrechat quatre
, Camargo was also responsible for two innovations in ballet as she was the first dancer to wear slippers instead of heeled shoes, and she was the first female to wear the short calf-length ballet skirt and the now standardized ballet tights.
the same day, in Brussels, the daughter of Ferdinand Joseph de Cupis and Marie-Anne de Smet. She had a younger brother, Jean-Baptiste who later became a composer and violin
ist, and a sister, Madeleine.
Her father, who was of Spanish
ancestry, earned a meagre living as violinist and dancing-master, and from childhood she was trained for the stage. At ten years of age, she was given lessons by Françoise Prévost
(1680-1741), then the first dancer at the Paris Opéra
, and at once obtained an engagement as premiere danseuse, first at Brussels
and then at Rouen
.
. The production was Les Caracteres de la Danse, in which she was the first woman to execute the entrechat quatre, and she at once became the rage. She introduced two innovations to ballet, changing from heeled shoes to slippers, and she was the first ballet-dancer to shorten the skirt to what afterwards became the regulation length. Every new fashion bore her name; her manner of doing her hair was copied by all at court; her shoemaker — she had a tiny foot — made his fortune.
She had many titled admirers whom she nearly ruined by her extravagances, among others Louis de Bourbon, Count of Clermont. At his wish she retired from the stage from 1736 to 1741, resuming her dancing career from 1741 to 1751. After finally retiring, she received a government pension.
In her time she appeared in 78 ballet
s or operas, always to the delight of the public. Nicolas Lancret
painted a famous portrait of her that exists in several versions including works now held at the Wallace Collection, London
, and at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC (shown right). In them she wears heeled shoes and is poised à demi point.
A ballet, Camargo
, based on the incident when she and her sister Madeleine were abducted by the Comte de Melun in May 1728 was created by Marius Petipa
and the composer Léon Minkus for the Russian Imperial Ballet
, premiering December 19, 1872 with the famous ballerina, Adèle Grantzow, as Marie Anne Camargo. The work was later revived in 1901 for the Russian Imperial Ballet
by Lev Ivanov
for Pierina Legnani
. After the Russian Revolution of 1917
, however, the ballet was never performed again.
The following incident takes place in the third volume of Casanova's History of My Life:
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
–28 April 1770, 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...
) sometimes known simply as La Gorda Camargo, was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
/Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
dancer. The first woman to execute the entrechat quatre
Glossary of ballet
Ballet is a formalized type of dance; ballet dance is usually performed on stage as part of a ballet dance work which includes mime, acting, and is set to music...
, Camargo was also responsible for two innovations in ballet as she was the first dancer to wear slippers instead of heeled shoes, and she was the first female to wear the short calf-length ballet skirt and the now standardized ballet tights.
Early life
She was born on 15 April 1710, and baptisedInfant baptism
Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. In theological discussions, the practice is sometimes referred to as paedobaptism or pedobaptism from the Greek pais meaning "child." The practice is sometimes contrasted with what is called "believer's baptism", or...
the same day, in Brussels, the daughter of Ferdinand Joseph de Cupis and Marie-Anne de Smet. She had a younger brother, Jean-Baptiste who later became a composer and violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist, and a sister, Madeleine.
Her father, who was of Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
ancestry, earned a meagre living as violinist and dancing-master, and from childhood she was trained for the stage. At ten years of age, she was given lessons by Françoise Prévost
Françoise Prévost
Françoise Prévost was a French ballerina who helped establish classical ballet. She was expressive, light and dramatic in style. Prevost debuted at the Paris Académie in the ballet, Atys, later replacing Marie-Thérèse de Subligny as the female lead...
(1680-1741), then the first dancer at the Paris Opéra
Paris Opera
The Paris Opera is the primary opera company of Paris, France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the Académie d'Opéra and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and renamed the Académie Royale de Musique...
, and at once obtained an engagement as premiere danseuse, first at Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and then at Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
.
Career
She made her Paris debut on 5 May 1726 at the Paris Opera BalletParis Opera Ballet
The Paris Opera Ballet is the oldest national ballet company in the world, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it...
. The production was Les Caracteres de la Danse, in which she was the first woman to execute the entrechat quatre, and she at once became the rage. She introduced two innovations to ballet, changing from heeled shoes to slippers, and she was the first ballet-dancer to shorten the skirt to what afterwards became the regulation length. Every new fashion bore her name; her manner of doing her hair was copied by all at court; her shoemaker — she had a tiny foot — made his fortune.
She had many titled admirers whom she nearly ruined by her extravagances, among others Louis de Bourbon, Count of Clermont. At his wish she retired from the stage from 1736 to 1741, resuming her dancing career from 1741 to 1751. After finally retiring, she received a government pension.
In her time she appeared in 78 ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
s or operas, always to the delight of the public. Nicolas Lancret
Nicolas Lancret
Nicolas Lancret , French painter, was born in Paris, and became a brilliant depicter of light comedy which reflected the tastes and manners of French society under the regent Orleans....
painted a famous portrait of her that exists in several versions including works now held at the Wallace Collection, London
Wallace Collection
The Wallace Collection is a museum in London, with a world-famous range of fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries with large holdings of French 18th-century paintings, furniture, arms & armour, porcelain and Old Master paintings arranged into 25 galleries.It was established in...
, and at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC (shown right). In them she wears heeled shoes and is poised à demi point.
A ballet, Camargo
Camargo (ballet)
Camargo is a "Grand ballet" in 3 acts/9 scenes, with choreography by Marius Petipa, and music by Ludwig Minkus. The libretto, by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Marius Petipa, is based on an incident in the life of the 18th century dancer Marie Camargo, in which she and her sister...
, based on the incident when she and her sister Madeleine were abducted by the Comte de Melun in May 1728 was created by 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....
and the composer Léon Minkus for the Russian Imperial Ballet
Mariinsky Ballet
The Mariinsky Ballet is a classical ballet company based at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet is one of the world's leading ballet companies...
, premiering December 19, 1872 with the famous ballerina, Adèle Grantzow, as Marie Anne Camargo. The work was later revived in 1901 for the Russian Imperial Ballet
Mariinsky Ballet
The Mariinsky Ballet is a classical ballet company based at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russian Ballet, the Mariinsky Ballet is one of the world's leading ballet companies...
by Lev Ivanov
Lev Ivanov
Lev Ivanovich Ivanov was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer and later, Second Balletmaster of the Imperial Ballet....
for Pierina Legnani
Pierina Legnani
Pierina Legnani was an Italian ballerina, a terre-à-terre virtuosa extraordinaire, considered one of the greatest ballerinas of all time.-Career:...
. After the Russian Revolution of 1917
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
, however, the ballet was never performed again.
The following incident takes place in the third volume of Casanova's History of My Life:
Immediately after Dupré I see a female dancer who rushes all over the stage like a madwoman, making entrechats to right and left in rapid succession, but scarcely rising, and violently applauded.
"She is the famous Camargo, my friend, whom you have come to Paris in time to see. She is sixty years old too. She is the first woman dancer who dared to leap, before her they did not, and the wonderful thing is that she does not wear drawers."
"I beg your pardon, I saw."
"What did you see? It was only her skin, which, to tell the truth, is not white."
"La Camargo," I answered penitently, "does not please me; I prefer Dupré."
An admirer, a very old man, who was on my left, said that when she was young she did the saut de basque and even the gargouillade and that he had never seen her thighs even though she danced without drawers.
"But if you never saw her thighs how can you swear that she did not have on drawers?"
"Oh, that sort of thing is easy to find out. I see that Monsieur is a foreigner."
"You are right about that."