Auguste Vestris
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Marie-Jean-Augustin Vestris, known as Auguste Vestris (27 March 1760 - 5 December 1842) was a French dancer.
Born in Paris as the illegitimate son of Gaëtan Vestris and of Marie Allard, he was surnamed "le dieu de la danse", (The god of dance). He made his debut in a divertissement "La Cinquantaine" in 1772 and was immediately recognized for his talent. He became a soloist in 1776 and premiere dancer in 1778. He fled to London during the French Revolution where he became famous for his interpretation of gavotte in 1785. He returned to Paris in 1793 where he competed against Louis Duport. Since then, this passage of the comic opera of Grétry, Panurge dans l'île des lanternes, has been known as the gavotte of Vestris.
After his retirement he trained many famous dancers of the 19th century including Marius Petipa, Lucien Petipa, Fanny Elssler, Jules Perrot, and Marie Taglioni. It was with Taglioni in 1835 that he performed a minuet at the age of 75.
His son Armand was also a dancer and danced with his cousin Charles Vestris.
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