J.M. Weston Invites
André Saraiva
J.M. Weston Invites
Mathieu Ganio
"Dance has always been a part of my life. My parents were separated, so my mother took me with her when she went on tour. It was nice spending afternoons in the dance studio. At home, I liked being with her when she learned ballets by watching them on video. When I was seven, she asked me if I wanted to try. I was doing judo at the time and it seemed natural to me."
Influenced by his parents Dominique Khalfouni and Denis Ganio, both former principal dancers, Mathieu Ganio naturally started dancing at a young age. He started out at the Ecole nationale supérieure de Danse de Marseille, and then joined the Ballet School of the Opéra de Paris, joining the corps de ballet de Paris in 2001. His career quickly took off. Promoted to Coryphée in 2002 and Sujet in 2003, Mathieu Ganio became the youngest principal dancer ever at the age of 20.
Acclaimed for his "noble dancing" style, his elegance and his qualities of partner, Mathieu Ganio danced in one ballet after another around the world, each role more illustrious than the next. In 2005, Mathieu Ganio received the Benois de la Danse award for his interpretation of James in La Sylphide alongside Aurélie Dupont. Acclaimed for his "noble dancing" style, his elegance and his qualities of partner, Mathieu Ganio danced in one ballet after another around the world, each role more illustrious than the next: the title role in Caligula, Daphnis in Daphnis et Chloé, or the Prince in The Nutcracker. In 2016, he plays the lead role in Romeo and Juliet by Rudolf Nureyev and portrays Albrecht in Giselle, a ballet choreographed by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot.
Acclaimed for his "noble dancing" style, his elegance and his qualities of partner, Mathieu Ganio danced in one ballet after another around the world, each role more illustrious than the next. In 2005, Mathieu Ganio received the Benois de la Danse award for his interpretation of James in La Sylphide alongside Aurélie Dupont. Acclaimed for his "noble dancing" style, his elegance and his qualities of partner, Mathieu Ganio danced in one ballet after another around the world, each role more illustrious than the next: the title role in Caligula, Daphnis in Daphnis et Chloé, or the Prince in The Nutcracker. In 2016, he plays the lead role in Romeo and Juliet by Rudolf Nureyev and portrays Albrecht in Giselle, a ballet choreographed by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot.
MATHIEU GANIO
Interview on the occasion of the release of the film "Paris est un ballet" produced by Vogue Hommes for J. M. Weston
Did you know that J.M. Weston had designed shoes for famous dancers such as Noureev and Nijinski in the past?
No, I didn’t know that, but I’m not at all surprised. The art of dancing and the dexterity required to design shoes are both ways to pay tribute to movement.
When is your earliest memory of J.M. Weston?
As a child, I remember my mother often spoke of J.M. Weston because her brother was a fervent admirer from when he was very young!
As a dancer, what values do you share with J.M. Weston?
Attention to detail, the search for quality rather than quantity, long and painstaking preparations, in secret and behind the scenes. Transmission, too, and the desire to represent a certain image of France.
Does Paris inspire you in the day-to-day?
I love Paris. I dreamed of living here when I was young, and am very happy here now. How can you be an artist and not be inspired by Paris?
What do you remember from the shoot?
The shoot was a new experience for me. I found it rather difficult. We had to travel all over Paris in the middle of winter, and I found myself running to the Opera on multiple occasions to replace a dancer off the cuff. I’ll always remember how remarkably kind and supportive the crew were throughout the shoot.
What do you think today’s J.M. Weston man is like?
He likes nice things and values quality. He appreciates understated luxury. In a word, a man who represents absolute elegance.
“An excellent dancer compared to an excellent shoemaker.” What are your thoughts on this?
I think both dancers and shoemakers have an appreciation for and the pursuit of high-quality work. We’re happy when we’ve won over our public or our customers and when we make them happy. It all boils down to our wanting to take them on a journey, to a dream world where art is a place of complete freedom.
What three words come to mind when you think of J.M. Weston?
Luxury craft, savoir-faire and elegance.
