Interview With Marie Salle

Guess Who Is Coming To Dinner Artists2

Interview with Marie Salle by: BAH

BAH: Hello, Mlle. Salle. It’s an honor to have you here. I’m glad you could make it.

Salle: Oh thank you, it’s an honor to be here.

BAH: Let’s get started shall we? Okay so, you started dancing when you were 9 years old correct?

Salle: Yes ma’am you are correct.

BAH: Than what inspired you to dance?

Salle: Well, my father was a tumbler (Andros, 1991) as well as my uncle. My sister and older brother danced too (Commire, 2002). Many people say I was a prodigy. I was born to dance. I guess it just runs in the family.

BAH: I see I see. How did your mentors help you develop the talents and interests you have as an artist?

Salle: Well I only worked with the best. My family had me trained by the magnificent Françoise Prévost, Jean Balon and Blondy to start off my career. That’s where I gained all of my talent, although I had some potential to begin with. It also helped that my family was into drama and mimes. I not only learned how to dance, but from them I learned how to dance in character (International Dictionary of Ballet, 1993).

BAH: Interesting. What was the dance world like when you entered it?

Salle:  Well during that time they had just started letting women dance. Before my time it was mostly men on stage dressed as women. Both men and women roles were played wearing masks. When I started to dance ballet was pretty much a man’s world (Barber, 2000). When I danced the ballet Pygmalion I did a very risky thing. I came out in a plain

white cotton dress, flat slippers, maskless, and no jewelry with my hair down flowing. The audience loved it and there were people lining up the streets for miles to get tickets! (Barber, 2000)

BAH: Wow Mlle. Marie, very impressive. How did the malor culteral, economic, and political situations of the time impact your work?

Salle: Well my family was not hurting by any means. I wouldn’t say we were rich, but we weren’t poor. France as a whole was doing very good also. Nothing affected my career. Many people paid for their entertainment, and that is definitely what I gave them. Ha ha. As long as people were paying, my career was good. And we all know that that means money.

BAH: What were some of your major accomplishments during your career and some methods you used to help you?

Salle: Well I made my oficial debut at the Paris Opera in 1727 (Barber, 2000) And as I’ve previosly told you about my remarkably stunning work in the ballet Pygmalion at the Covent Garden, I can’t say there’s much more to talk about…Oh yes there is one more thing. My great success in Prévost's Les Caractères de la danse, I performed an astonishing pas de deux with Antoine Laval. Fabulous if you ask me. Ha ha. I mean to me all of my dances that I choreographed and performed were major accomplishments, but there’s so many of them we’d be here all night if I told you about every single one.

BAH: Ahh, wonderful. What were the key opportunities you experienced that led to turning points in your life and your career?

Salle: Well I would have to say one major opportunity was being offered to choreagraph dances. Also when the Italians invited me to dance in their one act play. But the manager of the opera told the king’s minister and I was threatened with prison. That made me realize that I truly belong at the Paris Opera.

BAH: What personal decisions did you make to become succesful?

Salle: Obviously I made a decision to train with profesionals and get very good. Even though my family are the ones who started me in dancing, I still had a choice. I think another big decision I made was where I wanted to dance at. Or who in that case, company wise. I had so many choices. It just seemed like no matter where I went I kept going back to the opera. It was like a second home to me. I also think my elegant and graceful style helped me become successful. And probably that I was definitely not a pushover helped in my successful career.

BAH: Oh fabulous my darling just fabulous. What roadblocks or hardships did you have to overcome in order to be a dancer?

Salle: Well it wasn’t so much things that got in my way, it was more people than anything. Especially Marie Camargo. Uh that girl was my biggest rivalry. Everything I did she tried to do better. I remember one time Voltaire wrote about me and Camargo. He said, “Ah! Camargo, you are brilliant/ But Sallé, great gods, is ravishing!” (Migel, 1972) I felt pretty accomplished than. Ha ha.

BAH: Ha. What kinds of limitations did you run into as a person and an artist?

Salle: Hm, the only limitations I can think of I when the opera threatened to put me in jail. Other than that, I can’t say I really had any. I’m sorry to answer with such short words.

BAH: Oh that’s perfectly fine, that just goes to show how successful you were. Last but not least, what personal stories best illistrate how you became successful in the arts?

Salle: I think my deddication and hardwork played a major role in that. I mean I always tried my hardest and did my best. And it paid off let me tell you. Also never giving up and doing what makes me happy. I didn’t take any nonsense from anybody. I stood my ground and fought for what I believed in. For goodness sakes I went to jail for quitting the opera twice (Barber, 2000). Overall I thnik that’s what helped me. And I think that is good advice to anyone who is trying to become famous or successful in the arts.

BAH: Well said Mlle. Salle.I am so glad I got a chance to talk with you. Thank you for your time and effort. Take care.

Salle: Oh it was my pleasure. I’m honored you chose me for your interview. Thank you, good-bye!

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