Éric Vu-An

Éric Vu-An
Born
Éric Binh Vu-An

(1964-01-03)3 January 1964
Paris, France
Died8 June 2024(2024-06-08) (aged 60)
Nice, France
NationalityFrench
EducationÉcole de Danse
Occupation(s)Dancer
Choreographer

Éric Binh Vu-An (3 January 1964 – 8 June 2024) was a French dancer, choreographer, and actor.[1]

Biography

Born in Paris on 3 January 1964, Vu-An's father was Guadeloupean and his mother was Vietnamese.[2] He enrolled in the École de Danse in 1974 after his recruitment by Claude Bessy and an age exemption from the Ministry of Labour [fr]. In 1982, he began his first soloist roles at the Paris Opera Ballet. He was cast as the lead in a production of Don Quixote by Rudolf Nureyev in 1983 before Maurice Béjart gave him the lead in Boléro.[3] A dispute arose in March 1986 between Béjard and Nureyev over the announcement of Vu-An and Manuel Legris as a danseur étoile. The dispute was settled in Nureyev's favor, with Legris becoming a danseur étoile.[4] Vu-An then left the Paris Opera and joined the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, where he served as head of ballet from 1995 to 1997. On 1 January 2005, he was named a ballet master associated with the leader of the Ballet National de Marseille, Frédéric Flamand.

In 2009, Vu-An became artistic director of ballet at the Opéra de Nice. In 2018, a post made on Mediapart accused him of "managing his troupe with a feeling of omnipotence" and that he harassed pregnant dancers.[5] One of the dancers, Gaëla Pujol, filed a complaint against him for harassment.[6] Pujol alleged that the behavior was recurring and that she could provide testimony from fellow dancers and victims.[7] However, Vu-An denounced the allegations.[8] On 24 April 2018, it was announced that officials in Nice would investigate the claims.[9] However, Vu-An was not indicted for his action due to lack of evidence, and the presiding judge dismissed the case on 11 July 2022.[10] An investigating chamber in Aix-en-Provence upheld the dismissal on 30 March 2023.[11]

Vu-An was diagnosed with a brain tumour in early 2022.[12] He died in Nice on 8 June 2024, at the age of 60, two weeks after his husband, Hugues Gall, died.[13]

Filmography

Film

Television

Distinctions

References

  1. ^ "Décès du danseur et chorégraphe Eric Vu-An". ResMusica (in French). 9 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  2. ^ Bavelier, André (8 June 2024). "Le danseur et chorégraphe français Éric Vu-An est décédé à l'âge de 60 ans". Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  3. ^ Melchior, Paul (1992). "Éric Vu-An ou la Séduction d'Arlequin". Pascal Maurice éditeur (in French).
  4. ^ "La guerre des étoiles" (PDF). Le Nouvel Observateur (in French). March 1986. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  5. ^ Perraud, Antoine (23 April 2018). "Le ballet de Nice et la chasse aux danseuses enceintes". Mediapart (in French). Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  6. ^ Gasiglia, Stéphanie (25 April 2018). ""Au retour de ma grossesse, il m'a fait vivre un enfer": une danseuse de l'opéra de Nice dénonce les pressions". Nice-Matin (in French). Nice. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  7. ^ Lioult, Catherine; Hamiot, Manon (16 October 2020). "Plainte pour discrimination après sa grossesse, la danseuse du ballet de Nice obtient gain de cause". France 3 Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (in French). Nice. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  8. ^ Royer, Florian (26 April 2018). "Une danseuse du ballet de Nice porte plainte pour discrimination après sa grossesse". France Musique (in French). Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  9. ^ Gasiglia, Stéphanie (25 April 2018). "Harcelées? Évincées? Les danseuses ont-elles le droit de tomber enceintes à l'opéra de Nice?". Nice-Matin (in French). Nice. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  10. ^ Gasiglia, Stéphanie (18 July 2022). "Harcèlement moral à l'Opéra de Nice: non-lieu pour le directeur artistique, la soliste veut faire appel". Nice-Matin (in French). Nice. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Non-lieu pour le directeur du ballet de Nice accusé d'avoir écarté une danseuse après sa maternité". Le Figaro (in French). 11 April 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  12. ^ Langlois, Marine (8 June 2024). "Éric Vu-An, directeur artistique du ballet Nice Méditerranée, est mort à l'âge de 60 ans". BFM TV (in French). Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  13. ^ Lebrecht, Norman (10 June 2024). "Passing of Hugues Gall's Spouse, Eric Vu-An". MSN. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Paris Opera pays tribute to Éric Vu An". Paris Opera. 9 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.