Choreographer, Dancer. He was considered an icon of European dance for many years. Born in Marseille,  France, he studied with ballet master Léo Staats and dance teacher Madama Rousanne Sarkissian in Paris, and then performed with Mona Inglesby’s International Ballet and the Royal Swedish Ballet. In 1960 he founded his own company,  “The Ballet of the Twentieth Century,” becoming one of the most innovative choreographers of his time. His many works include “Symphonie pour un Homme Seul,” “The Rite of Spring,” “Nijinsky: Clown of God” and “Bolero for Gianni.” In 1987 he moved to Lausanne in Switzerland, where he founded the Béjart Ballet Lausanne, one of the most famous and successful dance troupes. (bio by: José L Bernabé Tronchoni)