Anaïs Chalendard

Ballet Faculty and Professional Programs Manager

BIO
Originally from Roanne, France, Anaïs Chalendard trained with Carole Bentolila, a student of Paris Opera School's Max Bozzoni, and at the National School of Dance in Marseille under the direction of Roland Petit and Dominique Khalfouni.

At the age of 17, after graduating with a baccalaureate in Economics and Political Science, she received her first professional contract with the Deutsch Oper am Rhein under the direction of Youri Vamos. Shortly after, she was offered a contract with the Berlin State Opera under the direction of Vladimir Malakov.

In 2003, Chalendard joined the Badische Staatstheater Karlsruhe under the direction of Birgit Keil, where she became a principal dancer. There, among other leading parts, Chalendard premiered the leading role in Terence Kohler's Anna Karenina and Gamzatti in his La Bayadère. In 2008, she joined English National Ballet under the direction of Wayne Eagling, where she was promoted to first soloist following performances in Manon and The Dying Swan. She also appeared in performances organized by Carlos Acosta, dancing a pas de deux created by Adam Hougland especially for her and Junor de Oliveira Souza. 

In 2009, she received the Emerging Dancer Award after dancing “Nikiya's Death” from La Bayadère. In 2012, Chalendard appeared at the Nureyev Festival in Russia as Giselle with Principal dancer Jozef Varga from Het National Ballet, and as Odette/Odile in Derek Dean's Swan Lake with English National Ballet.  Shortly after, she was listed among the 100 Best Dancers in the World by Dance Europe Magazine. In June 2013, she was invited to dance Erik Brühn's La Sylphide with Friedemann Vogel, principal with the Stuttgart Ballet, and Rolando Sarabia, international guest artist, at the Teatro dell Opera di Roma. 

Chalendard joined Boston Ballet in 2013 as a second soloist, was promoted to soloist in 2014, and principal in 2016. During this time, she performed in works such as Florence Clerc’s La Bayadère, George Balanchine’s Violin Concerto, Miko Nissinen’s Swan Lake, Val Caniparoli’s The Lady of the Camélias, John Cranko’s Romeo and Juliet, and more.

Chalendard has been invited to dance at the World Ballet Competition Star’s Gala in Orlando, FL, has served as a jury member at the World Ballet Competition, and has taught summer intensives with Dance Theater International, Allen Conservatory, and Boston Ballet School.

 In 2019, Anaïs was invited to dance with Kammer Tänzer and Flavio Salamanka during the Mozart Foundation’s Salzburg Festival and performed as a guest artist with the Joburg Ballet in the role of Princess Aurora in Maina Gielgud’s production of The Sleeping Beauty. She officially retired from the stage in October 2019 after performing the title role of Giselle in a special and last guest appearance with Joburg Ballet.