Ballet National de Marseille
A French dance company based in Marseille that combines classical ballet with modern and contemporary choreography.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Ballet National de Marseille is a French dance company headquartered in Marseille. Founded in 1972 by dancer and choreographer Roland Petit, it was established as a company capable of presenting both classical ballet and modern dance. Its first production was the Pink Floyd Ballet, a large-scale work built around music by the English rock band Pink Floyd. The production originated after Petit's daughter gave him a Pink Floyd album and suggested that he create a ballet from it. The work premiered in Marseille at the Palais des Sports, with Pink Floyd performing at the first presentation, and it subsequently returned to the repertoire and toured internationally. During Roland Petit's leadership, the company developed a profile that connected theatrical ballet, popular culture, music and modern choreographic language. Performances associated with Petit also featured his wife, the dancer and singer Zizi Jeanmaire. This period established the company as a Marseille-based institution with ambitions extending beyond a narrowly classical repertory. The organization later expanded its educational and institutional infrastructure. In 1992, the École Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille was established. The company and the school were placed in a purpose-built facility of approximately 6,000 square metres, including a 300-seat theatre and nine rehearsal studios. Two of the studios were reserved for the company. The school provides a long-term professional dance curriculum, with approximately nine years of training and an intake reported at around 120 students annually. The broader organization has been described as employing approximately 70 people, about half of them dancers. Marie-Claude Pietragalla served as director general of both the company and the school from March 1998 until 2004. Frédéric Flamand became artistic director in September 2004 after leading Charleroi Danses in Belgium. Under Flamand and subsequent leadership, the company increasingly emphasized contemporary creation, multimedia work and avant-garde forms, while retaining links to ballet tradition. This evolution helped position Ballet National de Marseille as a contemporary dance institution rather than solely a repertory ballet company. On 2 September 2019, the French Ministry of Culture and the City of Marseille appointed the choreographic collective (La)Horde to lead the Ballet National de Marseille, which is also designated a Centre chorégraphique national. The collective's direction continued the company's movement toward contemporary, interdisciplinary and technologically engaged performance. Its institutional identity now combines the preservation and reinterpretation of major works, the creation of new choreography, touring and dance education. The company operates as a cultural and artistic organization rather than a conventional consumer brand, with its principal public offerings consisting of live performances, commissioned or produced works, training and associated cultural activities.
History
Ballet National de Marseille was founded in 1972 by Roland Petit, one of France's prominent twentieth-century choreographers. From its beginning, the company was conceived as an organization able to connect classical ballet with modern dance and theatrical spectacle. Its inaugural production, the Pink Floyd Ballet, demonstrated that ambition. Inspired by a Pink Floyd album given to Petit by his young daughter, the work translated the band's music into a large-scale ballet. It premiered at Marseille's Palais des Sports with the band appearing at the first performance. The production was later revived and presented in several cities internationally, becoming the most identifiable work associated with the company's early history. Petit's period also gave the company a broad theatrical identity. Its programming included modern dance as well as ballet, and performances were connected to the stage presence of Zizi Jeanmaire, Petit's wife and a major performer in his artistic world. The company therefore developed through a mixture of choreographic authorship, music, popular performance and classical technique rather than through a strictly traditional opera-house ballet model. A major institutional development came in 1992 with the creation of the École Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille. The school and the company were housed in a new facility measuring approximately 6,000 square metres. The building included a 300-seat theatre and nine rehearsal studios, two of which were reserved for the professional company. The school offered an extended training pathway of approximately nine years and an annual intake of around 120 students. The combined organization was reported to have a staff of about 70, with dancers making up roughly half of the workforce. Marie-Claude Pietragalla became director general of both the company and the school in March 1998. She held the role until 2004. In September of that year, Frédéric Flamand became artistic director. Flamand had previously directed Charleroi Danses in Belgium from 1991 to 2004 and had helped develop that institution's international reputation. His appointment marked a further emphasis on contemporary choreographic production and widened the company's artistic relationship with multimedia, experimental staging and new creative forms. The company underwent another leadership transition in 2019. On 2 September, the collective (La)Horde was appointed by the French Ministry of Culture and the City of Marseille to direct Ballet National de Marseille, which operates within France's network of Centres chorégraphiques nationaux. Under this model, the institution's remit extends beyond presenting a fixed ballet repertoire. It includes the production and presentation of contemporary choreography, support for artistic creation, touring, rehearsal and training activity, and engagement with audiences in Marseille and elsewhere. Across its history, Ballet National de Marseille has thus moved from Roland Petit's music-driven theatrical ballet toward a more openly contemporary and interdisciplinary organization. The company continues to be identified with ballet, but its artistic profile incorporates modern dance, digital and multimedia practices, experimental choreography and new modes of performance. Its school, theatre and rehearsal infrastructure reinforce its role as a cultural institution serving both professional creation and the development of dancers.
- 2019
(La)Horde assumes direction
[1]The collective (La)Horde took over direction of the Ballet National de Marseille on 2 September 2019 following an appointment by the French Ministry of Culture and the City of Marseille.
- 2004
Frédéric Flamand becomes artistic director
[1]Flamand succeeded to the artistic leadership after directing Charleroi Danses in Belgium.
- 1998
Marie-Claude Pietragalla becomes director general
[1]Pietragalla was appointed director general of both the company and the Marseille higher dance school.
- 1992
Higher dance school established
[1]The École Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille was established and later operated alongside the company in a dedicated facility.
- 1972
Company founded by Roland Petit
[1]Roland Petit founded Ballet National de Marseille as a company combining ballet with modern and theatrical dance.
- 1972
Pink Floyd Ballet premieres in Marseille
[1]The company's first production, the Pink Floyd Ballet, premiered at the Palais des Sports in Marseille, with Pink Floyd performing at the first show.
Products and positioning
A publicly oriented French dance institution positioned at the intersection of classical ballet, modern dance and contemporary interdisciplinary performance. Its identity is associated with choreographic experimentation, multimedia and avant-garde creation, while its history and repertoire retain a strong connection to Roland Petit's theatrical ballet tradition.
Ballet production · 1972
Pink Floyd Ballet
Created by Roland Petit, Pink Floyd Ballet was the company's first production and is built around music by Pink Floyd. The work emerged from Petit's interest in translating contemporary rock music into choreographic form. Its Marseille premiere featured Pink Floyd performing at the first presentation, and the production was subsequently staged in multiple cities internationally. It remains the defining historical example of the company's early combination of ballet, popular music and theatrical spectacle.
Dance performances
Contemporary dance repertoire
The company presents contemporary and modern dance alongside ballet. Since the leadership of Frédéric Flamand and later (La)Horde, its repertoire has been associated with multimedia, experimental staging and avant-garde choreographic creation. Individual works and repertory titles change over time, so the company's contemporary offering is best understood as an evolving production program rather than a single permanent product line.
Dance education · 1992
École Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille
The Marseille National Higher School of Dance is the organization's principal educational offering. Established in 1992, it provides extended professional dance training over approximately nine years and has been described as admitting around 120 students each year. The school shares institutional and physical infrastructure with the company, including a dedicated building with theatre and rehearsal facilities.
Brand decisions
2019
Appointment of (La)Horde to lead the companyStrategyBackground
The French Ministry of Culture and the City of Marseille selected the collective (La)Horde to direct the Ballet National de Marseille, continuing the institution's development as a contemporary choreographic centre.
Action taken
The collective assumed direction on 2 September 2019, reinforcing the company's orientation toward contemporary, interdisciplinary and multimedia creation.
Aftermath
The appointment followed Frédéric Flamand's period as artistic director and represents the company's latest documented major artistic leadership transition.
Recent events
- 2019
(La)Horde takes over direction of Ballet National de Marseille[1]
Leadership change
The collective (La)Horde was appointed by the French Ministry of Culture and the City of Marseille to direct the Ballet National de Marseille from 2 September 2019.
- 2004
Frédéric Flamand appointed artistic director[1]
Leadership change
Frédéric Flamand, previously director of Charleroi Danses in Belgium, became artistic director of the Marseille company in September 2004.
- 1998
Marie-Claude Pietragalla appointed director general[1]
Leadership change
Marie-Claude Pietragalla was appointed director general of both Ballet National de Marseille and its associated higher dance school in March 1998.
Sources2 sources
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