Remembering Marie-Claire D'Lyse - former dancer of the Vienna State Ballet

Oct 21

Oct 21 Remembering Marie-Claire D'Lyse - former dancer of the Vienna State Ballet

Thoughts, memories… It is amazing how some dancers can leave an eternal impression in my mind.

Bella Figura: Copyright: Vienna State Ballet / Michael Pöhn

Marie-Claire D’Lyse belongs to this category of gifted dancers.

Sleeing Beauty: Copyright Vienna State Opera / Michael Pöhn

I distinctly remember her, still in the Corps-de-Ballet, as the “first” dancer to enter the stage in “The kingdom of Shades” (from “La Bayadére”), the “poor girl” that had to do all of the 36 ( or 38?) Arabesques (I honestly have never counted them). But just a very strong dancer can do that.

Bella Figura, with Vladimir Shishov: Copyright Vienna State Ballet/ Michael Pöhn — Bella Figura, with Vladimir Shishov: Copyright Vienna State Ballet/ Michael Pöhn

Beautiful technique (a very strong dancer), beauty and good looks… But she used them as a tool for her art. She DANCED exposing her feelings and emotions... This is what dance is all about - not endless fouettés... but I do believe that what mostly fascinated me about her was her incredible versatility. As a very intelligent, three-dimensional dancer, she would change like a chameleon from role to role – Myrtha, one of the big Swans, “Bella Figura”, a Fairy in “Sleeping Beauty”, the “crazy” Stepmother in Cinderella, “Midsummer’s Night dream”, “Suite en Blanc” just to name a few.