It’s not everyday a girl gets to chat with a ballerina from Paris who trained at the Paris Opéra Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet, danced in La Vivandière, Per pétuum, Satanilla, La Bayadère and Conservatoire, a two-act vaudeville ballet created by August Bournonville, and has won the couple prize at the Paris Dance Competition.  

Lise-Marie Jourdain left Paris and moved to Toronto six years ago to join the National Ballet of Canada.  Here she has performed as the Lilac Fairy, leader of the good fairies, in Sleeping Beauty, bride Effy in La Sylphide, the Sheep and Spanish Chocolate variation in The Nutcracker and a dreaming debutante in Le Spectre de la Rose.  

Becoming a professional ballerina was a childhood dream for Lise-Marie; and dancing on stage is, still, like existing in a dream-like, magical world for her. Her favourite aspect of being a ballerina is the opportunity to experience different roles and characters, and the drama and fun of dancing each night.   

So what’s an average day, when you’re a Parisian ballerina?  It starts with a good breakfast — including buttered toast and coffee — ballet classes and rehearsals for six hours, a healthy, light dinner, preparing for the evening show with an extensive hair and make-up session and a final warm-up before the curtain is pulled back to reveal a beautiful ballet to a large, often awestruck audience.      

When she is not in rehearsal or on stage, Lise-Marie shops on Queen West, which reminds her of certain spots in Paris.  She is a big fan of Preloved and Pho Pa, a great little boutique filled with Canadian labels.  For fresh croissants and café au lait, she visits local bakeries and pastry shops like Frangipane Pâtisserie on   Madison Ave. at Dupont St. 

To unwind, she visits museums and art galleries, a big part of her life in Paris since childhood — her father works at the Louvre — or takes in independent and foreign films at Cumberland cinema.   

Her favourite places in Paris include Ladurée, a pretty, century-old salon de thé near Madeleine metro station that evokes the delightful ambiance of a theatre`s backstage. Here you can buy the most delicious macarons in Paris par emporter, wrapped in coloured gift boxes. En Rue des Martyrs in the Montmartre district, she loves to pop into chic shops and restaurants.  

When Lise-Marie wants to capture l’esprit de Paris, she takes time to stop for coffee, enjoys a glass of vin rouge and, once in a while, treats herself to a piece of creamy milk chocolate.  

Bring a little Paris to your world by refusing to rush for a day. Stop for coffee or meet a friend for tea at un café charmant; sit on a sun-soaked patio and watch the world pass; buy fresh, in-season fruit – and a bouquet of flowers – at your local market.  You know, stop and smell the goddamn flowers. 

Go see Lise-Marie Jourdain play a step-sister in Cinderella, running May 28 to June 8 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, and in a mixed programme from June 13 to June 22. For more information on tickets and performances, visit national.ballet.ca. 

TICKET GIVEAWAY 

For a chance to win two tickets to a performance on June 21 at 7:30 p.m., email contests@shedoesthecity.com with CINDEREALLA in subject line of email.  Winner will be notified on June 9.  

Bonne chance!