How the world-famous Moulin Rouge cabaret in Paris has survived for over a century
Katie Balevic
- Moulin Rouge, the famed Parisian cabaret, has thrived for over a century, outlasting competitors.
- Over 80 dancers take the stage nightly in fantastical costumes, wowing viewers with high kicks.
For decades, fans have flocked to the Parisian cabaret credited with making the Can-Can dance iconic. The Moulin Rouge entertains revelers twice a night, 365 days a year.
The audience is typically half local and half international. So what draws fans from all over the world? The spectacle, the costumes, and — of course — the dancing.
Hundreds of thousands of people attend the show every year.
For over a century, performers have flocked to France in the hopes of landing a place at the world's most esteemed cabaret: the Moulin Rouge in Paris.
The Moulin Rouge opened in 1889, at the same time as the Eiffel Tower. The club has drawn famed performers like Frank Sinatra and Liza Minelli. Some 600,000 show-goers attend every year.
Revelers come for dinner and a show they won't forget.
After its debut, Moulin Rouge quickly became a smashing success, drawing revelers who enjoyed the music and dancing. The show's format has evolved over the years, incorporating comedy, cinema, and dinner.
The current show, called Féerie (or Fairyland), hit the stage in 1999. But the mesmerizing show is expensive to put on. The company has spent some 8 million euros (or $8.7 million) over the decades on maintaining the elaborate costumes worn by its dancers.
The cabaret has seen dark times but survived them.
The beloved cabaret survived struggles as well, including a fire in 1915, German occupation during World War II, and steep competition from emerging media in the 20th century. The cabaret's flare and spectacle have helped it endure while other clubs closed down.
"I think some places didn't survive maybe because what they were offering wasn't enough," Janet Pharaoh, the show's associate artistic director, told BI.
Richly decorated costumes require regular maintenance.
With over 250 yards of frilly fabric, a single Can-Can costume can cost almost $5,500. A team of 15 seamstresses mend and maintain the costumes daily between shows.
Many of the costumes are decorated with real animal feathers, which is why the cabaret has its own feather shop in-house. It can take the seamstresses 280 hours to finish a feathered costume, some of which weigh a dozen pounds and cost over $13,000.
Performers don their high heels and high buns before the show.
Donning high buns on their heads and higher heels on their feet, 85 dancers take the stage nightly. To make the cut, women must be 5'8", and men must be 6' 3".
The women are required to wear red lipstick and false eyelashes. They might do a dozen costume changes in a single show, which has four acts.
Some dancers keep auditioning until they're accepted.
One of the dancers, Romane Bollengier, told BI she auditioned three times before securing a spot in the show. The hardest act she performs is the Can-Can, a meticulous act with countless coordinated high kicks.
After dancing two shows in a single evening, Bollengier will end her workday at 1 a.m. She hopes she'll be a lead dancer in the show someday.
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