Guillaume Diop, French dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet (Paris, France) is a smart, hard working young man with the most contagious laugh we have ever seen in interview.
We interviewed Guillaume Diop who undertook most of his ballet training at the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School in Nanterre, near Paris. From age 12 to 18, he practiced ballet daily there until he was hired at the Paris Opera Ballet in 2018.
In August 2018, during his first week officially working at the Paris Opera Ballet, Guillaume Diop sat with us in the beautiful and sunny garden of Palais Royal and shared his memories and thoughts about his ballet journey. The full Interview is now available on Core de Ballet’s Youtube channel.
Guillaume Diop’s best memories from ballet training
“At first, we were afraid of all the lifting”
Great things come from humble beginnings. From the first class in a small school to joining the Paris Opera Ballet company, here is Guillaume’s journey. In this interview, Guillaume Diop shares what were his most memorable moments in school and why.
Physical and mental preparedness
“We’re not really used to do this in the school shows”
Being in peak mental and physical shape to perform on stage requires intense work. Guillaume Diop tells us in this interview how he got ready to dance two challenging pieces, a Jiří Kylián and a John Neumeier piece, the same night. Additional training, recovery methods and ways to cope with stress. What’s in the recipe for success?
About being a brown dancer
“Am I credible as a brown Siegfried?’”
Every dancer has a unique body type, for some of us the differences are more visible. The ballet world is becoming more diverse, dancers of a variety of skin tones and body types are reaching the highest levels of their companies. What was Guillaume Diop’s experience during his training years?
Guillaume Diop’s goals for his first year in the company
“I think I still have a long way to go”
Transitioning from school to company life is exciting and probably a little intimidating. Getting used to a new rhythm takes time. We asked Guillaume Diop in this interview about his goals for his first year as a professional dancer with the Paris Opera Ballet. What are his objectives? How does he feel?
Photo used in the thumbnail by Yonathan Kellerman
Guillaume Diop’s warm-up routine
“We don’t really understand why we do it”
When it comes to warming up, some dancers prefer to go with the flow while some others have a structured and specific routine. From the initial massage with a spiky ball, to the last sequence of relevés, Guillaume shares with us everything he does with all his toys.
What does Guillaume do during the summer?
“In the summer, I like to step out of ballet”
Summer can be a time full of opportunities and new discoveries for a dancer. It’s the perfect season to make new friends, and recharge. Guillaume says he likes to step out of his comfort zone and his usual routine. What does Guillaume Diop like to do?
Hobbies and social media
“And after that I didn’t have any more time”
We have already discovered Guillaume Diop as a dancer, but how is he outside of work? Dancers also do have hobbies and guilty pleasures. In this interview, we wondered what he enjoys doing when he’s not pirouetting around the studio
The discovery of the nickname
“Yes, I stop my leg. But I could if I wanted to”
Guillaume Diop has a very special quality that can sometimes turn into a flaw. His nickname has something to do with it. We all are given nicknames by our family and friends, but when complete strangers start giving you nicknames then, the fun really starts. Can you guess Guillaume’s nickname among balletomanes?
Interview of Guillaume Diop: advice to my younger self
“People are going to look at the original!”
We asked Guillaume Diop to share a piece of advice he would give to his younger self and we got a wonderful and very meaningful outcome. The message Guillaume wants to share is something we all need to hear and keep in mind.
Photo used in the thumbnail by Alice Galeano.
Make sure to check our second discussion with Guillaume Diop, recorded in December 2019, in which he discussed his impressions after more than a year working for Paris Opera Ballet company
