Véronique Tamaccio: “The Armenian influence was decidedly strong with us!

In 1995, you played in a film, “Dance with Life” by Michel Favart. How did this experience go?

Yes, it was such a delicious experience. Especially because in the film I was a student of the great Patrick Dupond, who was at the time one of the biggest ballet stars in the dance world. I have fond memories of this experience and I am very grateful to have been a part of it.

Now you have your own dance school, Ballet for Everyone. After working with professionals, isn’t it difficult to deal only with fans and dance enthusiasts?

Not at all, my goal is to share my passion and my knowledge with as many people as possible. I started with Ballet for Everyone right after I quit my professional ballerina career in 2012 and my goal was to make ballet accessible to everyone and to show people how wonderful ballet is and how much it brings you. makes you feel good. I like to see my students, to progress, to feel better about themselves. I am very proud of them! Some of them have never done ballet before, or did it in their childhood, then they come to my school and discover the great benefits of ballet. That’s wonderful!

Véronique Tamaccio leads a class

American dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey once said, “Dancing is for everyone. I believe that the dance comes from the people and that it should always be returned to the people. However, 10 years ago, I was in a small American town for a while, where I decided to take amateur ballet lessons. But I gave up on the idea when I entered the room and saw only women and not a single man. Are your participants also predominantly women?

I really believe that dancing is for everyone, which is why I called my school Ballet for Everyone, but it is a fact that 95% of my students are women. There is still this preconceived idea that ballet is a girl’s business. I had a little boy last week who stopped coming to class because his friends at school were making fun of him. It’s such a shame that in 2021 we are still at this point. It’s surely better these days, but we still have a long way to go.

In 1998, you won the prestigious Prix de Lausanne. In that year, the young dancer Tigran Mikayelyan from Yerevan was also a winner of the same competition. Did you meet Tigran at that time?

Yes, as well as Arsen Mehrabyan! My family was very happy to see three Armenian dancers in the Prix de Lausanne final. It was a great pride!

Moreover, the same year 1998, my uncle Jacques Semizian invited the violinist Astghik Vardanyan from Yerevan to come to Marseille when she was 15 years old. We did a few concerts together, where she played the violin and I danced at the Armenian church in Marseille and some Armenian associations in Marseille. She is so talented!

You are the daughter of Béatrice Kelechian. Does it impact you as an artist and as a human?

Absolutely yes! My late mother grew up with her parents who spoke only Armenian; she and her sisters learned to speak French when they went to school. Considering this fact, Armenian influence was definitely strong at home, when I was a little girl. I was baptized, married and my two children were baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church in Marseilles. My mother taught us the importance of family, we are very close to all my cousins, aunts and uncles and like to get together around a good Armenian meal (beurek, lemejoun…) and a fun tavloo game!

Have you ever been to Armenia? Otherwise, since this year there is a contemporary dance festival in Yerevan. Maybe this is a good excuse to travel to Armenia?

No, I have never been to Yerevan before. And you are right, it would be a good time to go since this festival is taking place!

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