Elise Juliette Christiane Price, usually known as Juliette Price, (1831–1906) was a Danish ballet dancer. She studied under

August Bournonville August Bournonville (21 August 1805 – 30 November 1879) was a Danish ballet master and choreographer. He was the son of Antoine Bournonville, a dancer and choreographer trained under the French choreographer, Jean Georges Noverre, and the ne ...

, becoming his favourite dancer.

Early years

Born in Copenhagen, Price was the daughter of the mimic Adolf Price and the dancer Flora Mathilde Henriette Lewin, both of English origin. She was the oldest of six children. Two of her siblings, Sophie and Waldemar, also became ballet dancers. A member of a family of street entertainers, Price started performing with her parents when she was six and grew up in an environment of performance and dance. In 1847, her father asked ballet master

to take Bjørn as a student in order to prepare her for becoming a member of the

Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded ...

. Recognizing her artistic potential and showing no concern for her social background, he recommended her to the ballet. As a result, she entered the ballet school in 1848. After Andrea Krætzmer, Lucile Grahn-Young and Augusta Nielsen, Juliette Bjørn became Bournonville's fourth outstanding soloist.

Career

In 1849, at the age of 17, Price made her début as Eliza in Bournonville's ''The Conservatory''. The same year, she played the title role in ''

La Sylphide ''La Sylphide'' (; ) is a romantic ballet in two acts. There were two versions of the ballet; the original choreographed by Filippo Taglioni in 1832, and a second version choreographed by August Bournonville in 1836. Bournonville's is the only ve ...

'', in 1850 she was Céleste in ''The Torreador'' and, in 1851, she became a soloist. Bournonville appreciated the harmony of her movements and considered her lack of sensuality a distinct advantage. Her cool, noble composure matched his idea of a perfect dancer. Among the numerous roles he created for her were Eleonore in ''

The Kermesse in Bruges ''The Kermesse in Bruges, or The Three Gifts'' is a burlesque ballet in three acts created by the Danish ballet master and choreographer August Bournonville to music by Holger Simon Paulli, first performed by the Royal Danish Ballet on 4 April ...

'', Ragnhild in ''The Wedding Festival in Hardanger'', Hilda in ''

A Folk Tale ''A Folk Tale'' () is a ballet in three acts, created in 1854 for the Royal Danish Ballet by the Danish ballet master and choreographer August Bournonville to the music of Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann and Niels W. Gade. The first performance ...

'', Rosa in ''

Flower Festival in Genzano ''The Flower Festival in Genzano'' () is a one-act ballet by Danish choreographer and ballet master August Bournonville (1805–1879). Bournonville created the work for Denmark's Royal Ballet on December 19, 1858, at the Royal Danish Theatre, on ...

'' and Rosita in ''Far from Denmark''. She spent a year in Vienna (1855–56) but without success. However, on returning to Copenhagen, she was enthusiastically acclaimed for her performance in ''La Ventana''. Her career came to an end in 1865 when she slipped and was seriously injured during a performance of ''Kermesse in Bruges''. From the age of 35, she spent the rest of her life as an invalid.

References

Literature

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Price, Juliette 1831 births 1906 deaths Prima ballerinas Danish ballerinas Dancers from Copenhagen Royal Danish Ballet dancers 19th-century Danish ballet dancers Price family (Denmark) Danish Calvinist and Reformed Christians