Moulin Rouge auditions coming soon!

What are the requirements of Moulin Rouge dancers?

As well as being excellent all-round dancers, with a good classical foundation, the female dancers should be tall (minimum 172cm, though preferably 178 cm, have a figure that will look good in our beautiful costumes, and a lot of personality.

Male dancers need to be strong all-round dancers who are also able to do high kicks and the splits, with an athletic masculine build. They need charm and personality.

Dancers need to be able to adapt to different styles of dancing, with character and stage presence accordingly. We are a truly multinational company, and have 14 different nations represented now. Australian dancers are some of the best

in the world, thanks to all your wonderful dance schools, and of course they come with the height and healthy physique I am after. Australia is one of my favourite places to audition. As a result there are many Australian dancers in the company: 15 female and seven males, out of a total of seventy-four.

What is the lifestyle like for dancers at the Moulin Rouge?

For the younger, newer members the lifestyle undoubtedly includes a lot of sightseeing and socialising. As they develop, rehearsals may become more frequent. We also have a lot of media events, television appearances and photo shoots. Hopefully things will pick up again after Covid and we will start being invite to take part in international gala events. We have one such coming up in October in Poland, to which I shall be taking 16 dancers. Not quite Brazil, the USA, India or even Australia as in the past, but it’s a start.

The dancers have their own or shared apartments and are responsible for their own cooking and keeping fit.

Those who have been with us a while often study on-line, with a view to the future, or even go to school here: we recommend starting with French.

Of course, as they also have holidays as well as days off, there is the whole of Europe to visit while here! With two shows a night the dancers don’t rehearse everyday; they are free to pursue their lives.

What are you currently working on?

 When it comes to the creation of completely new show, a big production means a big team, from composing the music to designers, costumes, scenery, lighting and so forth and a very big budget. At an expected budget of 20 million Euros it is unfortunate that global circumstances have yet again delayed the production of our planned new show. It’s quite frustrating, but we shall get there in the end, and it will be bigger and better than ever.

How did the Moulin Rouge fare during the global COVID pandemic?

It’s perhaps a strange twist of fate that while Covid, like for all theatres and shows, caused so much pain and financial difficulties, in the long run it will enable us to survive in the future without having to close again to undertake such transformation. An 18 months closure of the Moulin Rouge is unprecedented in its history except for a fire in 1915 and World War II.

 The Covid pandemic was a very bizarre time for me, particularly suddenly finding myself at home every evening, in front of the telly, after 45 years in show business. I have 15 crocheted shawls to show for it.

Not that I wasn’t kept extremely busy during the day. The dancers were all on furlough, receiving 84 per cent of their salary while scattered around the world. I kept in touch with the dancer, trawled through all the administrative legislation, worked with architects and builders not only on the above said project but also preparing the Moulin to open Covid-safe as soon as we were allowed. We extended the dressing rooms and created larger showers. To rehearse before the legal opening date for theatres we had to create more rehearsal space to comply with social distancing rules.

We now have a fabulous massive rehearsal area.

Putting a dance company of 74 dancers after such a long-forced stop was no mean feat.Getting fit to dance again was our main priority, while working within the rules set out by the government.

 We did it gradually over 12 weeks, with lots of different kinds of classes, from classical ballet to Cuban salsa. We are fortunate to have so many multi-talented dancers from around the world, with teaching qualifications in their own speciality, that we were able to create a very varied and interesting training program.

It was hard dragging everyone back to work, but when that curtain opened on the first night to a standing ovation of the audience, all agreed it was a most magical emotional moment. It reminded everyone of why they choose this profession, and they were glad to have returned.

We are holding 10 auditions in Australia and New Zealand over the months of July and August. All of the details can be found here. You need to register first. Details here.

 - LEILA LOIS

 This is an extract from a full feature on the Moulin Rouge in the forthcoming July/Aug/Sep print issue of Dance Australia. Subscribe here in time to receive it!