Bernice Coppieters (born 18 November 1970) is a Belgian retired ballet dancer and ballet master. She danced as an étoile at Les Ballets de Monte Carlo and is a long time collaborator of Jean-Christophe Maillot. She is now the principal ballet master at the company and has staged Maillot's productions worldwide.
Biography Born in Dendermonde, Belgium, Coppieters started training at the Antwerp Institute of Ballet in 1980. She join Royal Ballet of Flanders, where she became a soloist. She joined the Ballets de Monte-Carlo in 1991, and began a creative relationship with Jean-Christophe Maillot, which lasted almost 30 years. She was named étoile of the company by Caroline, Princess of Hanover in 1995. Coppieters became the principal ballet master in 2015. She has staged Maillot's productions in Sweden, Germany, Austria, South Korea, U.S., Czech Republic and Belgium.
Created roles by Maillot Coppieters originated more than 40 roles in Maillot's productions, including: Juliet in Romeo and Juliet The Fairy Godmother and Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella Meier in the Drosselmeier couple in Casse-Noisette Circus Beauty in La Belle Titania in Le Songe Death in Faust Princess Sheherazade in Sheherazade Her Majesty the Night in LAC
Awards and honours 1988: Prix de Lausanne 1995: Appointed Danseuse Etoile of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo by H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover 2002: Officier de l'Ordre du Mérite Culturel of the Principality of Monaco 2003: Positano "Léonide Massine" Award 2005: Étoile of the year award by Premio Danza at Danza 2011: Prix Benois de la Danse for the title role in Sheherazade 2015: Officer of the Order of Cultural Merit.Ordonnance Souveraine n° 5.560 du 18 novembre 2015
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