The moving funeral of Patrick Dupond

The announcement of the death of Patrick Dupond is a real shock in the world of culture, dance and politics.

The former star dancer died on March 9 from a devastating illness. He would have celebrated his 62 years on March 14.

The former juror of “Dance with the stars” had also participated in various television shows such as X Factor in France and Italy. He was also a juror at the Cannes Film Festival, which earned him his dismissal from the Opera for insubordination and indiscipline, in 1997.

Patrick Dupond had also been the victim of a serious road accident. The doctors had said that he could no longer dance because of his injuries (134 fractures, 3 artificial vertebrae, a torn hand.) Thanks to his perseverance, he returned to the stage and in 2004 became a teacher at the dance school. of Soissons where he meets Leïla da Rocha.

The funeral

The family has fixed Patrick Dupond’s funeral for March 11, in St Roch church (75001). Many of the dancer’s friends were present around his mother and his partner Leïla da Rocha. The former basketball champion converted into sacred oriental dance was able to count on their support.

The Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot and one of her predecessors, Jack Lang attended the ceremony. The latter had appointed him in 1990, director of dance at the Opera, to succeed Rudolf Nureyev.

A moving ceremony

White flowers covered the square and the interior of the “artists’ parish”. Father Luc Reydell, chaplain of Saint Roch welcomed the dancer’s white coffin, covered with the tricolor flag. He entered the church to the sound of the trumpet of the solo of “La Strada” by Nino Rota for Fellini. The cellist Gautier Capuçon and the duo Camille and Julie Berthollet, played pieces, including “La Mort du Cygne” by Saint-Saëns. Richard Cross, Jean-Philippe Batailley, Josquin Otal and Laurent Bozzoni also performed during the ceremony.

Behind the mother and companion of the dancer, the family of Max Bozzoni, Patrick’s master, accompanied the coffin to the altar where a portrait of the artist sat enthroned. Francis Lalanne, very tried, followed with a heart of red roses. The students of the White Eagle Academy, a school created in Soissons by Patrick Dupond and Leïla da Rocha, brought up the rear. Each wore a feather stuck in the bun or in the pocket of their jacket.

During the ceremony, testimonies followed. The first was that of Marie-Claude Pietragalla, those of Aurélie Dupont, the philosopher Yves Roucaute, Anne Roumanoff, a dancer from the “White Eagle Academy” followed and finally that of Leïla da Rocha.

At the end of the ceremony, the crowd applauded the coffin as it left the church.

The personalities present

The crowd had come to say goodbye to the ballet star. Fans, dancers and ex-stars preceded the coffin. Among them Elisabeth Platel, director of the Opera Dance School; Kader Belarbi, dance director of the Capitole de Toulouse; Aurélie Dupont, current director of dance at the Paris Opera; Marie-Claude Pietragalla, his partner on stage or even Marie-Agnès Gillot, Cyril Atanassoff and Claude Bessy. Alexander Neef, director of the Opéra national de Paris, represented the institution as well as other members of the corps de ballet such as Jean-Marie Didière whom Patrick considered to be his dear brother, Claude de Vulpian, Carole Arbo whom he had named star, Florence Clerc, Elisabeth Maurin …

His family from the small screen had also made the trip. His friends from “Dance with the Stars”, Chris Marques, Fauve Hautot, Christophe Licata, Maxime Dereymez or Anthony Colette were there. Patrick Dupond was a juror for seasons 9 and 10 from 2018 to 2020.

Brigitte Fossey, Nicoletta, Patrick Préjean, Philippe Candéloro, the couturier Jean-Claude Jitrois, the journalist Jacques Cardoze were also present for this last tribute.

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