Ballerina Park Se-eun Promoted as First Asian Principal Dancer at Paris Opera Ballet

Ballerina Park Se-eun. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] Ballerina Park Se-eun (32, photo) has been appointed as the first Asian principal dancer (?toile) at the Paris Opera Ballet (POB), one of the world's top three ballet companies.

On the 10th (local time), POB announced on its official website that Park Se-eun was named ?toile following the opening performance of "Romeo and Juliet" held at the Bastille Opera in Paris. Founded in 1669, POB boasts the longest history worldwide. Along with the Royal Ballet in the UK and the American Ballet Theatre in the US, it is considered one of the world's top three ballet companies. Park Se-eun is the first Asian dancer ever appointed as ?toile at POB.

POB members are classified into five ranks: Quadrille (corps de ballet), Coryph?e (leader of the corps), Sujet (soloist alternating between corps and principal roles), Premier danseur (first soloist), and ?toile, in ascending order. Promotions from Quadrille to Premier danseur are achieved through examinations. The ?toile rank is appointed through a nomination process within the company.

Park Se-eun began ballet in the third grade of elementary school. She graduated from Yewon School, Seoul Arts High School, and Korea National University of Arts. She has won awards at three of the world's four major ballet competitions: first place at the 2010 Varna International Ballet Competition in Bulgaria, silver without gold at the 2006 Jackson International Ballet Competition in the US, and first place at the 2007 Lausanne International Ballet Competition. In 2018, she also received the Benois de la Danse Best Female Dancer Award, known as the "Academy Awards of the dance world."

Park Se-eun joined POB as a junior company member in 2011. In June 2012, she became the first Korean ballerina to be promoted to full company member. In November 2016, she was appointed Premier danseur, becoming the first Asian to hold this rank.