Rising star

Léonore Baulac is the new principal dancer of the Paris Opera Ballet, one of the most selective ballet companies in the world alongside Moscow's Bolshoi Ballet and London's Royal Ballet. At just 26 years old, she's achieved the highest rank - here, she shares her rise to the top and her lifetime of dance, both on and off the stage

Was it your dream of a lifetime to become a principal dancer?

Indeed! I started dancing when I was four years old. At 11, I took part in a competition with my favorite dancer, José Martinez, as a member of the jury - I even had a poster of him in my bedroom at the time. I received the gold medal and since that day I dreamed of becoming a danseuse étoile (principal dancer) so that I could dance with him.