- After more than 30 years at the head of the Lyon Opera ballet, Yorgos Loukos was dismissed in early February.
- He had been sentenced two months earlier by the Lyon Court of Appeal for discrimination against a former dancer.
- Several artists, dancers and choreographers have taken up the feather to demand his reinstatement.
Renowned choreographers, major dancers and movie stars have taken up the feat to defend tooth and nail Yorgos Loukos, the former ballet director of the Lyon Opera, dismissed after his conviction for discrimination. In a column published Wednesday in the newspaper Liberation , they demand his reinstatement at the head of the ballet, judging his dismissal "arbitrary and incomprehensible" and describing the decision of the Lyon Court of Appeal as "regrettable".
“The decision of a court of appeal is, perhaps, irrevocable. But that of a board of directors is not ", they write, recalling that Yorgos Loukos was dismissed six months before his retirement. And after 39 years spent at the head of the ballet. All threaten to withdraw their works from the repertoire of the institution.
"If as we think, the majority of the dancers of the Ballet vote in his favor, Yorgos Loukos must be able to complete his mission", and "if this request was not heard, it is to be feared that the signatory choreographers would not have 'other solutions than removing their works from the repertoire of the Ballet of the Opéra national de Lyon', they add
Licensed in early February
At the beginning of February, an extraordinary opera board of directors voted to dismiss Yorgos Loukos, condemned in December on appeal for having asked for the non-renewal of the contract of a dancer on her return from maternity leave.
“Eight dancers out of sixteen are currently mothers of one or more children. (…) More than 25 dancers have been in this case in the past years, ”recall the signatories, adding that“ several of them have been awarded a permanent contract after the birth of their first child ”. "Something which the complainant claimed, but which had not been granted to her for artistic reasons having nothing to do with any discrimination", they assure.
"It's not between 35 and 40 that you're going to do more, more with a child"
In 2014, Karline Marion, 34, on a fixed-term contract at the Opéra de Lyon for five years, was notified by letter of the non-renewal of her contract, two days after her return from maternity leave. With the city of Lyon, which hires the dancers, Yorgos Loukos had put forward his "physical and stylistic weakness" and a "too classic style".
During an interview a few days later, recorded by the dancer, Yorgos Loukos explained: "If between 29 and 34 years old, you did a lot, but not a lot, it's not between 35 and 40 that you will do more , in addition with a child ”.
Society
Lyon: Director of the Opera ballet accused of having fired a dancer because of her maternity
Lyon
Lyon: Director of the opera ballet sentenced to six months suspended prison for discrimination
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