Thomas Docquir, the first Belgian to be named principal dancer at the Paris Opera

The scenario had all the makings of a pivotal moment. On Sunday, June 21, at the end of a performance of The Bayadère On the stage of the Opéra Bastille, Thomas Docquir was named principal dancer of the Paris Opera Ballet. At 28, the Belgian dancer becomes the first artist from his country to achieve this prestigious title. The announcement was made before the assembled company and a particularly large audience on this Fête de la Musique (World Music Day).

A rise accelerated by a decisive replacement

Nothing, however, predestined Thomas Docquir to play the lead role of Solor that day. According to the specialist website Dance with the FeatherHe was initially slated to be an understudy before Hugo Marchand's injury, just days before the performance, changed everything. Thrust into the spotlight for this role, which he was tackling for the first time, the dancer shared the stage with two established stars, Dorothée Gilbert and Roxane Stojanov.

At the end of the performance, Alexander Neef, director of the Paris Opera, officially announced his appointment, following a proposal by José Martinez, director of dance. Overcome with emotion, Thomas Docquir greeted the announcement with applause from the audience and his colleagues.

From the Belgian conservatory to the pinnacle of French ballet

Originally from the province of Namur and born in 1998, Thomas Docquir discovered dance at the age of 8 at the Godinne Academy, affiliated with the Dinant Conservatory. He then joined the Paris Opera Ballet School at 12 before becoming a member of the corps de ballet in 2015. His career within the institution has been marked by constant progression: AROP Dance Prize in 2021 and then appointment as Principal Dancer in 2024.

Accustomed to major classical roles, he distinguished himself in Swan Lake, Don Quixote, RAYMONDA, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle or, The Sleeping BeautyHe has also worked on more contemporary repertoire, from George Balanchine to Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, by way of Kenneth MacMillan and Roland Petit. From June 23rd, he will reprise the role of Solor for his first official performance as a principal dancer, this time alongside Sae Eun Park and Inès McIntosh.