Benjamin Millepied Choreographs 2 French Open Finals Dances as Roland-Garros Pushes Bigger Spectacle
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 5
Benjamin Millepied Choreographs 2 French Open Finals Dances as Roland-Garros Pushes Bigger Spectacle
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 5
Summary
Eight days before championship weekend, Benjamin Millepied was rehearsing two short dance pieces to open the French Open women’s final on Saturday and men’s final on Sunday.
Amelie Mauresmo, the tournament director, asked for “bold, big dances” to elevate the pre-match ceremonies beyond the opening segments Roland-Garros has staged before.
In rehearsal, Millepied had dancers vault one another over an imaginary net to Rosalía’s “Reliqua,” while adjusting the movement to fit the much larger scale of the actual court.
The project adds a high-profile arts element to the finals, turning the tournament’s biggest matches into a broader live spectacle as well as a tennis event.