Louis Dupre (1697-1774)
A French dancer and teacher. Started as a dance teacher in Mans, proceeding to Paris where he was an acclaimed solo dancer at the Opera from 1715 to 1751. Even in his sixties audiences admired his gracefulness and his splendid physique. Until 1743 he was in charge of the Opera ballet school, where Vestris and Noverre were among his pupils. Casanova was one of his admirers. He was called Le Grand Dupre.
(First published March 1991)