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French ballet dancer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chloé Lopes Gomes (born c. 1991) is a French ballet dancer known for being the first biracial female dancer from subsaharan African descent in the Staatsballett Berlin.[1][2]
Chloé Lopes Gomes | |
---|---|
Born | Nice, France |
Nationality | French |
Occupation | Ballet dancer |
Awards | BBC 100 Women (2021) |
Career | |
Current group | Staatsballett Berlin |
Lopes Gomes was born in Nice, France.[3] Her father is from Cape Verde, and her mother is French and Algerian. She is mixed-race. [4]
Lopes Gomes first took dance lessons at the Conservatoire de Nice.[3] She later trained at Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille then the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Russia.[5][6] She has performed with Opéra de Nice, France, the New English Ballet Theater, and Béjart Ballet in Lausanne, Switzerland.[6][7]
Lopes Gomes joined the Staatsballett Berlin in 2018, and became their first Black ballet dancer.[2] In 2020, Lopes Gomes' contract was not renewed and she left the Staatsballett Berlin. Lopes Gomes later alleged she was discriminated against because of her race and directed to wear whitening make-up to perform while at Staatsballett Berlin.[2] Staatsballett Berlin conducted an investigation into the claims, later giving out €16,000 to Lopes Gomes and renewed her contract in an out-of-court settlement.[7][8]