Who are you, can you introduce yourself?
My name is Claire Lonchampt. I'm 36 years old and I'm a dancer with the Malandain Ballet Biarritz.
I grew up in Paris where I completed my school studies in sports studies.
I entered the Paris Opera Ballet School at the age of 9 as a "little rat", then I continued my studies until I obtained my dance diploma and my baccalaureate at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris. At 18, I was hired for a year at the prestigious Zurich Ballet. Then I continued my career for 3 years in Helsinki at the Finnish National Ballet. I was then lucky enough to join one of the best companies in the world, the Het Nationale Ballet, in Amsterdam, which I decided to leave after a year to join Thierry Malandain at the Malandain Ballet Biarritz.
When we met, you mentioned growing up in front of a mirror during part of your childhood and adolescence. You're 36 now, what do you see in that mirror?
After a serious injury at age 30, I had no choice but to reprogram the thought process I'd always used until then. One of the first things I had to change was my perception of my reflection in the mirror.
In fact, there are few people who spend their entire days looking at their full-length reflections in order to correct themselves to achieve an ideal of perfection.
Although I had been raised since I was little to only scrutinize my flaws, I had to be indulgent towards this body that no longer responded to my previous reflexes. For the first time, I had to make the superhuman effort to look kindly at myself, at these lines that I did not find perfect enough, at these perceptions that were no longer those I knew.
Although it hasn't always been easy because the thought reflexes are deeply rooted, I think I can say that at 36 years old I am now able to be gentle with this body that has never let me down and has allowed me to have such a long career.
So now, he and I live together, trying to accept each other. Sometimes he's tired and makes me feel like he needs a little attention, and sometimes he steps back to let me fully enjoy the pleasure of dancing.
What are your other passions?
I love eating, especially sweets! So I add countless restaurants to my to-do list in every city we tour. While I don't always remember theaters or hotels, my memories of restaurants are infallible!
I also love the mountains. Going for a hike, gaining height and getting away from the hustle and bustle of human activity helps calm my thoughts.
Finally, reading is one of the habits my mother passed on to me and one that I enjoy fulfilling. I never go on tour without being sure to have taken a new book with me to devour.
What is your relationship with beauty?
My relationship with beauty is paradoxical because even though I work in a profession where I have to shine and which is imbued with beauty, I still have little self-confidence. I tend to have trouble finding myself beautiful and focus on my flaws. So slowly, with time and maturity, I am learning to accept myself and stop comparing myself. My outlook has been shaped by my profession and every day I force myself not to chase after what might be wrong but, on the contrary, to be satisfied with what I like. But I am still far from getting there!
I also really enjoy getting ready. Tour suitcases prevent me from taking too much, so I take advantage of my time in Biarritz to wear outfits I can't travel in.
For me, femininity is above all loving yourself and taking care of this body that we tend to mistreat rather than pamper.
A childhood memory linked to a perfume, a transmission of beauty?
I was only 9 years old when I started boarding school. Being away from my family could sometimes be a bit difficult to bear, especially on Sunday nights. So the scent of my mother's perfume on my clothes allowed me to keep her close to me on those gloomy nights. Just like the cologne my grandmother used to perfume herself.
Generally speaking, I have always liked the idea of keeping the memory of a loved one through the scent of their perfume.
What role or ballet has given you the most emotion?
Marie-Antoinette was certainly the most moving role of my career. Through this role, Thierry gave me the opportunity to explore a multitude of facets that a woman can go through. I loved delving into the intimacy of this woman, digging beneath the image of this little-loved queen and discovering who she really was and the tragedies she had to overcome. I loved being able to go through all these emotions, make them my own at different times in my life and let this role grow within me so that it would be spontaneous every night.
What can we wish you for the future?
To come to love me! 😉
And above all, to reach many more people through these wonderful vectors of emotion that are dance and beauty. The world needs it more than ever.
Claire's ritual:
With over 100 shows a year, I've lost count of the kilos of foundation and eyeshadow I slather on my skin every day. Just like my body, I feel the need to take care of it so it doesn't suffer too much. I quickly realized that removing my makeup right after a stage appearance, like going to the physiotherapist, was an essential part of my recovery process.
Alaena products have allowed me to adopt this ritual everywhere on tour. The Double Cleansing Ritual , first with the cleansing oil, allows me to remove the first thick layer of foundation and mascara. The Mango & Avocado soap then ensures that I have deeply cleansed my skin. Next comes the application of the Fruit Acid Peel . Far from being abrasive, it envelops my skin and gives me the feeling of applying a thick, restorative balm every time, which in addition to having an incredible texture, smells extremely good.
Once my skin is nourished, I apply the Combination Skin Moisturizing Cream . My skin tends to get oily under the spotlight. I admit to being completely won over by its mattifying effect. And having tested different ones on each tour, I can guarantee that this one definitely rose to the challenge of the 48-hour trip. Finally, since I don't have masseurs available, I found something to compensate for with the Toning Massage Oil , designed specifically for athletes' heavy legs. An essential step in recovery, I apply it by massaging my muscles deeply to relax the most tense areas.