Huguette Mallette was a French dancer, choreographer, and ballet instructor best known as Marcel Marceau’s first wife, a renowned mime artist and actor. She was a 1927 Paris native who passed away in 2016. Her life, her accomplishments, and her friendship with Marceau will all be covered in this article.
Huguette Mallette Early Life and Education
Huguette Mallette was born in Paris, France on December 9, 1927. She came from a long history of entertainers, including her parents who were both vocalists. She attended a Parisian music and dance conservatory, where she developed her talent as a dancer and choreographer with a focus on ballet and jazz.
Huguette Mallette Family
Michel and Baptiste were two of Huguette Mallette’s children with Marcel Marceau. They both became artists by imitating their parents. Baptiste is an actor and a mime artist, whereas Michel is a painter and a sculptor.
Along with Marie-Christine and Jean-Pierre, Huguette Mallette had two stepchildren from her second marriage to Jean-Louis Barrault. Both of them are filmmakers and actors.
Huguette Mallette had strong bonds with her biological and adopted children. She spent time with them and frequently visited them. She also gave her grandchildren unconditional love.
Marriage to Marcel Marceau
In 1948, while both were appearing at the Théâtre de Poche in Paris, Huguette Mallette met Marcel Marceau. In 1950, they were married after falling in love. Michel, born in 1951, and Baptiste, born in 1953, were their two children. Huguette Mallette encouraged her husband’s acting and mime careers. She frequently traveled with him while he performed worldwide and assisted him with dressing and makeup.
But there were issues in their marriage as well. Huguette and Marcel had contrasting personalities and lifestyles: Marcel was reticent and introverted, while Huguette was extroverted and social. Marcel wanted Huguette to spend more time with their family and his job, while she wanted to concentrate on her career as a dancer and choreographer. They also had competing schedules and interests. After eight years of marriage, they ultimately got divorced in 1958. They kept their friendship and valued one other’s skills.
Career and Achievements of Huguette Mallette
Huguette Mallette spent her entire life pursuing her love of dance and choreography. She was a dancing instructor who instructed students in ballet and jazz, among other dance genres. Additionally, she choreographed performances for the Paris Opera Ballet, the Folies Bergère, and the Moulin Rouge. As a dancer and choreographer, she was praised for her originality, grace, and elegance. She was honored with numerous accolades for her artistry, including the Grand Prix de la Danse de Paris in 1954.
Huguette Mallette Choreographer
Huguette Mallette continued to work as a dancer and choreographer when she retired. She was a dance instructor who taught pupils various dance styles, such as ballet. She used to teach dance to rich people’s children back when she was struggling.
Huguette joined Marcel Marceau on his tours after they were married, joining him in his different mime performances. In her husband’s mime performances, she used to dance choreographically.
She continued to work even after she and her husband Marcel got a divorce. She continued to pursue a profession in dance and choreography. She created numerous performances for the Cannes Film Festival and the Paris Opera Ballet. She was employed as a teacher at the Paris Opera Ballet School, known then as “The Ecole des beaux-arts.” at that time.
When she was a teacher at the Cannes Dance Festival, she gained a lot of respect. She was able to become a judge for various international dance competitions because to her experience.
Legacy and Influence
Huguеttе Mallеttе madе significant contributions to dancе and chorеography as a pionееr and innovator. She developed new dance gеnrеs and tеchniquеs, likе jazz ballеt, that fusеd traditional and contеmporary aspеcts. Shе also triеd out various musical stylеs, outfits, and thеmеs. Numеrous dancеrs and chorеographеrs, both in Francе and abroad, wеrе influеncеd by Huguеttе Mallеttе. Shе mеntorеd and taught numеrous pupils who wеnt on to have grеat profеssions. Additionally, shе collaborated with other musicians like Serge Lifar, Roland Pеtit, and Mauricе Béjart.
Huguеttе Mallеttе rеcеivеd praisе and rеcognition for hеr contributions to thе dancе mеdium. Shе was givеn many honors and awards, including thе National Ordеr of Mеrit, the Order of Arts and Letters, and thе Lеgion of Honor. Shе was also givеn thе opportunity to appеar at illustrious gathеrings and occasions likе thе Cannеs Film Fеstival, thе Edinburgh Fеstival, and thе Bolshoi Thеatrе.
Later Life and Death
Huguette Mallette carried on pursuing her career as a dancer and choreographer after her divorce from Marcel Marceau. She also got wedded twice, first to French actor and dancer Jean-Pierre Cassel in 1960 and then to actor and director Jean-Louis Barrault in 1975. She passed away in Paris on October 19, 2016, at the age of 88. She was interred with her second husband Jean-Louis Barrault in the Père Lachaise Cemetery. She created a legacy of outstanding artistic talent and devotion to dance. She was regarded as a stunning, gifted, and kind woman who encouraged many people with her poise and originality.
Conclusion
A magnificent woman, Huguette Mallette led a full and varied life. She was a ballet instructor, dancer, choreographer, and celebrity’s wife. In addition, she served as a mentor, friend, and grandmother. She was generous, passionate, artistic, and refined. She made a deep impression on many people’s hearts as well as the dancing community. Huguette Mallette was the dancer who appeared behind the mime.
FAQs
She was born in Paris, France, on December 9, 1927.
From 1950 to 1958, she was wed to Marcel Marceau, a renowned mime artist and actress.
A dancer, choreographer, and ballet instructor, she was.
Michel and Baptiste were the couple’s two children. Marie-Christine and Jean-Pierre were her stepchildren from her second marriage to Jean-Louis Barrault.
She passed away in Paris, France, on October 19, 2016. She was laid to rest at Père Lachaise.
