Obituary: Jean-Claude Ciappara - French dancer, choreographer and teacher
- Ikuko
- Sep 13
- 1 min read
Jean-Claude Ciappara, a French dancer, choreographer and teacher, passed away on 7th September 2025, Opéra national de Paris and CNSMD de Lyon paid tributes to him on 9th September. His age was not mentioned.
Ciappara joined the Paris Opera Ballet School in 1969 and the Paris Opera Ballet as a corps de ballet member in 1974. He later took part in later the G.R.C.O.P (Choreographic Research Group of the Paris Opera), founded and directed by Jacques Garnier. He danced in the celebrated Aunis by Garnier alongside Kader Belarbi and Wilfried Romoli and in many other works created by internationally acclaimed choreographers.
In 1997, he joined CNSMD (Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse) in Paris as a teacher. From 2004 to 2018, he worked as the director of CNSMD in Lyon, where he also held the position of the ballet master at the Jeune Ballet de France.
