Brigitte Bardot performing ballet Sylvia on French TV, 1958
“I did these shows for free, as a Christmas gift to the viewers, so let me choose what will give me pleasure. This is what I wanted: to dance the pas de deux from the ballet Sylvia by Leo Delibes, with Michel Renaud, the first dancer of the Opera. I hadn’t danced since I was 16 and I was 24! The recording was two months away. I had to work without a break. I took up classical dance again with passion and excitement. It was hard, difficult, and sometimes I was discouraged. I would come out of rehearsals exhausted, broken, with blood on my feet, my muscles cramped, my whole body ached, but my heart sang with pride and happiness. I conquered both the years and the fears. I conquered my own body. I made my muscles more mobile and elastic. Regained the grace of hands and the balance of posture. Michel Renaud turned out to be a rare teacher, he did not forgive me anything, not a single glitch, not the slightest inaccuracy, he wanted me to dance this pas de deux as if I were the prima ballerina of the Opera. And we did dance! It was probably the best Christmas gift for me and for those who watched us on TV, because it was done with love and only for the love to the amazing art of dance.”
- Brigitte Bardot, autobio
