The 3 Must-See Dance Performances This Fall in Paris

This fall, Paris offers the perfect excuse to escape the chilly evenings and step inside a theater to dream in front of breathtaking dance performances. Three standout shows caught our eye—each with a unique style, yet all share the same purpose: to make us forget time through movement and music. From minimalistic contemporary dance that takes us far from Paris, to an immersive show inside a department store after closing hours, or even a daring reinvention of a legendary ballet—the hardest part is choosing. Spoiler: you’ll want to see all three.

 

The Most Intimate: Maison d’en face

Léo Walk and his company La Marche Bleue are reopening the doors of their celebrated Maison d’en face—this time at the eclectic Théâtre 13e Art. After sold-out performances last season at Théâtre du Châtelet and Salle Pleyel, the choreographer invites us into a poetic exploration of everyday life, blending music and movement. On stage, friendships and relationships form and fall apart, echoing our own experiences. With dreamlike minimalist staging and choreography both light and full of meaning, Léo Walk captures the beauty of small gestures as well as the harshness of life’s most ordinary moments. A hypnotic show not to be missed.

La Marche Bleue – Maison d’en face by Léo Walk at 13e Art (30 place d’Italie, Paris 13). From October 8 to 31, Wednesdays to Fridays at 8 pm.
From €35 – Book your tickets here.

 

The Most Acrobatic: Babel

Ever dreamed of sneaking into Le Bon Marché after hours? With Babel, that fantasy comes true. Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night, the chic Left Bank department store transforms into a stage for choreographer Mourad Merzouki and his company Käfig. Fusing hip hop, contemporary dance, circus, and martial arts, this performance revisits the myth of the Tower of Babel with a troupe of ten dancers who push, support, and challenge one another around a towering set. Powerful, universal, and optimistic, Babel is as stunning as it is moving.

Babel at Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche, 24 rue de Sèvres, Paris 7. Until December 31, Thursdays to Saturdays at 9 pm.
From €50 – Book your tickets here.

 

The Most Iconic: Swan Lake

Matthew Bourne’s groundbreaking reinterpretation of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake—winner of over 30 international awards and the longest-running contemporary ballet in London and Broadway—finally comes to Paris. Here, the corps de ballet of swans is danced entirely by men, transforming this classic into a raw, powerful meditation on love, desire, and identity. Gone are the tutus—replaced by flowing fabrics, bare feet, and athletic movements that recast the swans as visceral and untamed. A bold reinvention of a timeless masterpiece.

Swan Lake at La Seine Musicale, 1 Île Seguin, Boulogne. From October 9 to 26, Tuesday to Sunday evenings at 8 pm, with Saturday matinees at 3 pm.
From €20 – Book your tickets here.

Also discover the best shows to book before they sell out, and the must-see exhibitions of the season.

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