Sculpting Space: In Conversation with Master Ballet Instructor Fabrice Herrault
By Lauren Fichten
The ever-changing landscape of Manhattan's 8th avenue is home to an array of spectacles and surprises. On the corner of 57th street sits the sleek exterior of Spyscape, an interactive spy exhibit. Downtown, the grandiose entrance to the Museum of Illusions attracts locals and tourists alike. From 59th to 12th street there are an abundance of restaurants, shops, and apartment buildings — some newly established, others that have been carved into New York’s iconic skyline for decades. Perhaps the most unassuming yet arguably most profound addition to 8th avenue, however, is the private ballet studio of Fabrice Herrault. His former students grace the stages of theaters throughout the world and occupy the ranks of renowned companies such as the American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Boston Ballet, and The Royal Ballet. Yet, despite having produced (and continuing to produce) a plethora of talented dancers, Herrault continuously shies away from the spotlight. “I'm really interested in the work,” He said. “I care about making good dancers and that’s it.” Aside from his website, Herrault has never advertised his studio. Students find out about him predominantly by word of mouth.
Hailing from France, Herrault trained at the Paris Opera Ballet School and later, the Conservatoire National de Musique de Paris. He went on to dance with several companies including the Hamburg Ballet, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo, Twyla Tharp and Dancers, and The Royal Winnipeg Ballet. “Hectic” is the word Herrault uses to describe his training, due in part to a foot injury at 14. In hindsight, he believes the chaotic nature of his ballet journey to be the reason he was such a detail-oriented dancer and now, teacher.
Herrault first became curious about teaching while dancing as a guest with a company in Italy, but a tear to his ACL when dancing at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet would challenge his ballet career and prove to be the catalyst for his new profession: teaching. With an impressive career under his belt and a deep understanding of ballet technique, Herrault was well equipped to establish himself as an instructor in New York. His teaching has led him to companies and schools around the world and for years, Herrault held a popular open ballet class at Steps on Broadway that attracted students and professionals alike. Though ballet institutions continually sought his expertise, the establishment of his private studio in 2007 would prove the opportunity of a lifetime. “I’ve been so fortunate to have this,” he professed. “This is the dream of a teacher; to be in Manhattan and have a studio where you can train professional dancers.”
Private session with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Max Barker. 2020.
Most dancers who attend Herrault’s studio train with him privately six days a week. Students begin at the barre, moving through a memorized set of combinations, usually nonstop, and then progress into the center where they continue to work on combinations as well as variations from full-length ballets. Whereas at other studios in New York students dance and rehearse for four to five hours a day, the intensity of private training warrants a two hour time limit. Herrault’s classes are technically and artistically demanding and his combinations often arduous, emphasizing repetition, precision, placement, and strength.
Claudia Schuman, a former student of Herrault’s who worked with him for a year at ABT’s JKO school and two years privately said that training at the studio taught her how to push her limits. “It taught me so much about willpower and that if you can put your mind to it and just get through it you have the capability,” she disclosed. Though training with Herrault resulted in a deeper understanding and awareness of movement and technique for Schuman, she recalled the difficulty of remaining consistent, and notes that it was challenging at times to adhere to his specific vision. “Being able to do these extreme things but also being classical and pure and being able to harness both of those qualities is tough,” she explained.
The demanding nature of the training is a result of Herrault’s own personal experience. “I wouldn't call myself a natural dancer, it became more natural with work.” He continued, “I think it's very rare that someone might feel like it's easy. Some people are lucky I guess, but most people struggle and have to fight to get there, and that's a good thing. It would be boring if it was too easy anyway.”
While Herrault has developed a tried-and-true methodology for training dancers, he emphasized that he is always looking for ways to improve and continues to hone his teaching skills. “You try to find a method that works for the student. When you do the right exercises, it just works,” he said. Regarding Herrault’s teaching methods Schuman said, “I think it was just so detailed in a way that dancing in a class will never be. Having someone watching your every move and they expect nothing but perfection.” She continued, “He would sit there with me and if my arms were not the quality that he wanted them, we would do it again and again and again until I could feel it and really get it in my body.”
Though Herrault’s goal is to produce strong dancers, he believes that the ultimate takeaway for his students transcends ballet technique. “For me it's important to make the person grow as a human being,” he said. According to Herrault, personal growth and establishing confidence are key, but these things cannot be achieved alone. “A teacher is a guide,” he insisted. “That’s what they do — that’s why they're so important. You can't do it on your own.” Despite Herrault’s emphasis on repetition and establishing a strong technical foundation, he strives to produce dancers who are generous, genuine and move beautifully in space. “To me a great dancer is a person who is a very good mover. That’s it.” He added, “People who are really connected with the music, the space, with themself, of course, and really expressing the movement with their body, sculpting space. Sculpting images in space.”
JORDAN PEELE’S 2019 FILM “US’
Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyong’o.
Anatomy of a scene - VANITY FAIR, March 2019, (full article)
One of Red’s most distinguishing characteristics is her uncanny movement style—her posture, her gesticulation, even the pace at which she walks. Hollander and Nyong’o thought through every detail of both Adelaide and Red’s physicality, making sure that Adelaide was convincing as an ex-ballerina, and that Red came across as not quite human. Hollander set Nyong’o up with Fabrice Herrault, Hollander’s old instructor, for intensive training, where the actress learned about ballet, including which muscles give ballerinas the most trouble; the posture; the stretches; and the movements dancers tend to do out of habit. “Adelaide, she’s this very fluid, warm, elegant, has a type of gracefulness,” Hollander said. Red, on the other hand, required a different kind of presence.
Ashley Vazquez (former student) featured in “US”
FILMOGRAPHY:
CLAUDE BESSY, LIGNE D’UNE VIE
New version (2023) celebrating her 90th birthday.
Premiered in Paris at the Palais Garnier.
LA PASSION NOUREEV
(2013)
ⓒJack Mitchell
From the moment of his dramatic leap to freedom at Paris’ Bourget Airport in 1961, Rudolf Nureyev was embraced as a ballet idol. On the 20th anniversary of his death, Fabrice Herrault has assembled an impressionistic tribute film that showcases this Byronic artist in some of his peerless early performances through archival footage, much of it previously unseen, revealing “Rudi” at the peak of his powers.
Premiered in Paris at the Balzac Theatre for the summer dance festival "Les Etés de la Danse" 2013
US premiere in Los Angeles for Dance Camera West 2014
Official Selection:
New York Dance on Camera 2014
Montréal International Festival of films on Art "FIFA" 2014
San Francisco Film Festival 2014
Saint-Louis Festival 2014
Beirut Art Film Festival "BAFF" 2015
CLAUDE BESSY, LIGNES D’UN VIE
(2011)
ⓒSam Levin
The documentary profiles the French ballerina and Ballet School director who was described as the "Golden Silhouette" by Serge Lifar. Bessy was an admired Etoile of the Paris Opera Ballet and ran its prestigious school for decades. Bessy also made television appearances and films, most famously in Gene Kelly's "Invitation to the Dance". Narrated by Bessy, the film features rare vintage footage of the dancer in her prime, performing works by Gene Kelly, Serge Lifar and Maurice Bejart.