Ballet national de Marseille

What Ballet national de Marseille does

Ballet national de Marseille is a French public cultural institution (Établissement public de coopération culturelle) classified as a Centre Chorégraphique National (CCN) since 1984. Founded in 1972 by choreographer Roland Petit at the invitation of Mayor Gaston Deferre, the company has been directed by the collective (LA)HORDE (Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, and Arthur Harel) since 2019. The 53-person organization produces contemporary dance works, runs residency and emerging-artist programs (Accueil Studio, Moteur de Recherche), and engages in public education through its 'Actions with Publics' initiatives. Its core technology and output consists of choreographic creation and live dance performance production, with supporting digital content for social media distribution (including iPhone-based live filming with simultaneous Instagram broadcasting). The repertoire centers on (LA)HORDE's transdisciplinary works that bridge institutional ballet with underground dance cultures, alongside collaborations with figures such as Spike Jonze, Rone, Lucinda Childs, Oona Doherty, and Laia Santanach, and historically Yves Saint Laurent, Mikhaïl Barychnikov, Keith Haring, and David Hockney.

The business model rests on three revenue streams: (1) public funding from the French Ministry of Culture (Direction générale de la création artistique), DRAC Paca, and Ville de Marseille; (2) coproduction fees from partnered cultural institutions including Théâtre du Châtelet, Théâtre de la Ville Paris, Sadler's Wells London, Charleroi Danse, Maison de la Danse Lyon, and La Comédie de Genève; and (3) ticket sales through individual venue box offices for performances at major European and international festivals. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company serves theater audiences, coproducing cultural institutions, and emerging choreographers, and its output is distributed through a global network of theaters and festivals across France, Germany, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland, the USA, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Name

Ballet national de Marseille

Legal name

Ballet national de Marseille

Website

https://ballet-de-marseille.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ballet national de Marseille is a French public Centre Chorégraphique National (CCN) producing contemporary dance under the direction of collective (LA)HORDE since 2019. The 53-person institution funds operations through French Ministry of Culture grants, coproduction fees from international theaters, and ticket sales, serving theater audiences and cultural institutions across 13+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Contemporary Dance

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Dance Companies (71112)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Contemporary & Modern Dance (MPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Virtual Concerts & Music Festivals (Livestreamed Performances) (MPAGAOAD), Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)

Keywords

• Contemporary dance performances
• Choreographic creation
• National ballet company
• Artist residency programs
• Performing arts productions

Headquarters

HQ city

Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: Government support from Ministry of Culture (Direction générale de la création artistique), DRAC Paca, and Ville de Marseille
2. Coproduction Revenue: Coproduction fees from partnered cultural institutions including Théâtre de la Ville Paris, Charleroi Danse, Sadler's Wells London, and other international venues
3. Performance Tickets: Revenue from ticket sales for live performances at theaters and festivals in France and internationally

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Ballet national de Marseille produces and tours contemporary choreographic works and dance performances, including flagship creations by the (LA)HORDE collective such as 'Après moi, le déluge', 'Room With a View', 'To Da Bone' and 'Age of Content'. It also operates the Accueil Studio residency program supporting emerging and established choreographers, runs the Moteur de Recherche program for emerging artists, and engages in public education through its 'Actions with Publics' initiatives. Performances are presented at partnered theaters and festivals in France and internationally across Europe, North America, and Asia.

Product overview

The CCN Ballet national de Marseille is a national ballet company and Center for Choreographic Development (CCN) directed by the collective (LA)HORDE since 2019. The company produces choreographic works and performances, operates residency programs (Accueil Studio), and engages in public education through its 'Actions with Publics' initiatives. Its repertoire includes major works by (LA)HORDE such as 'Après moi, le déluge', 'Room With a View', 'To Da Bone', and 'Ghosts', as well as collaborations with international choreographers including Lucinda Childs, Tânia Carvalho, Lasseindra Ninja, Oona Doherty, Rone, Alexandre Roccoli, and Spike Jonze. The company also runs the 'Moteur de Recherche' program for emerging artists and supports artistic development through various residencies and educational partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CCN Ballet national de Marseille: Centre Chorégraphique National - the official designation as a National Choreographic Center under French Ministry of Culture
• (LA)HORDE
• BNM

Products and services

• Après moi, le déluge A choreographic creation by (LA)HORDE exploring collective introspection, the daily gestures and power structures, questioning care, gaze, heritage, and transformation in times of crisis. It is presented for general audiences attending contemporary dance festivals.
• Room With a View A choreographic piece created with RONE at Théâtre du Châtelet, exploring forms of uprising, protest, and revolt through dance, featuring electronic music and electronic ravers. Targeted at theater audiences and festival programmers.
• To Da Bone A 10-minute choreographic performance exploring youth revolt and the role of new media in mobilizing crowds, featuring post-Internet dances including Hardstyle and Jumpstyle. Targeted at theater audiences and festival programmers.
• Ghosts A short film directed by Spike Jonze in collaboration with RONE and (LA)HORDE, exploring forms of uprising and revolt through dance at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Marseille. Targeted at film and contemporary art audiences.
• Deep Stream A performance integrating iPhone-based live filming with simultaneous Instagram broadcasting, creating immersive digital experiences. Targeted at museum audiences and digital viewers.
• Accueil Studio A residency program initiated in 1998 by the Ministry of Culture, supporting emerging and established choreographers with production funding, studio access, and artistic/logistical support. Open to national and international candidates, with particular attention to artists from Marseille, Aix-Marseille-Provence, and the Sud region.
• Tradere A choreographic work by Laia Santanach exploring traditional and ritualized practices, focusing on the dual meaning of 'tradere' - to transmit and to abandon. Targeted at contemporary dance audiences.
• Childs Carvalho Lasseindra Doherty A shared program featuring four choreographers - Lucinda Childs, Tânia Carvalho, Lasseindra Ninja, and Oona Doherty - showcasing diverse choreographic styles from Postmodern Dance to Ballroom/Voguing. Targeted at theater audiences.
• Long Play (LP) A choreographic and sonic project by Alexandre Roccoli and Adam Shaalan exploring the healing virtues of art through techno hardcore trance, based on dancers' respiratory rhythms. Targeted at contemporary performance audiences.
• Célébrations An outdoor performance at Vieux-Port de Marseille featuring a selection of choreographic pieces from the BNM repertoire including works by Lucinda Childs, Lasseindra, Oona Doherty, and (LA)HORDE. Targeted at general public audiences and developed in partnership with ASICS.
• Roommates A modular program connecting archive works with new creations, featuring pieces by Lucinda Childs, Peeping Tom, Claude Brumachon, Cecilia Bengolea, François Chaignaud, and (LA)HORDE. Targeted at theater audiences.
• We Should Have Never Walked on the Moon A danced exhibition breaking barriers between museum white cube and dance stage black box, questioning the influence of hegemonic American culture and bodily canons. Targeted at museum and contemporary dance audiences.
• CCN Ballet national de Marseille The national ballet company directed by (LA)HORDE since 2019, serving as a Center for Choreographic Development (CCN) that produces choreographic works, supports artists, and engages with publics through performances, residencies, and educational programs.
• Actions with Publics Public engagement projects including educational programs, workshops with permanent dancers and apprentices, and collaborations with educational institutions. Targeted at schools, families, and community groups.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Spike JonzeflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Oscar-winning director who created the film Ghosts in collaboration with (LA)HORDE and BNM dancers at Musée des Beaux-Arts de Marseille
• Théâtre du ChâteletflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2020Paris theater that commissioned Room With A View, creating a major collaborative work with Rone and (LA)HORDE
• Théâtre de la Ville ParisflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Paris theater as co-commissioner of works including Room With A View and Childs Carvalho Lasseindra Doherty program
• Rone (Erwan Castex)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020French electronic music producer who co-created Room With A View with (LA)HORDE, providing original soundtrack and artistic direction
• Charleroi DansecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian dance center coproducing Après moi, le déluge and other works
• Sadler's WellscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLondon's landmark dance venue coproducing Après moi, le déluge
• La Comédie de GenèvecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss theater coproducing Après moi, le déluge
• Maison de la Danse LyoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor French dance institution coproducing works including Après moi, le déluge
• Agora, Cité Internationale de la Danse MontpelliercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontpellier dance center coproducing Après moi, le déluge premiere and other works

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT): One of the world's leading contemporary dance companies, performing at major international venues and coproducing with leading choreographers. Comparable as a large-scale touring contemporary dance institution with similar programming ambitions.
• Opéra national de Paris Ballet: France's flagship classical ballet company, the historical reference point for the Ballet national de Marseille (founded by Roland Petit, who also danced with Paris Opera). Comparable as a French national ballet institution, though much larger and focused on classical repertoire.
• Ballet de l'Opéra national de Lyon: Another major French national ballet company under public institutional support, with a contemporary and neoclassical repertoire. Comparable as a French national ballet institution with international touring and public funding structure.

Others

• Sadler's Wells: London's flagship dance venue and major BNM coproduction partner. Relevant as a strategic ecosystem participant — the venue most associated with commissioning and presenting contemporary dance works of the type BNM produces.
• Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels: Van Cleef & Arpels' international dance patronage program, a key BNM funding partner. Relevant as an ecosystem enabler that supports production and touring of contemporary choreographic works at companies including BNM.

Direct peers

• Compagnie Maguy Marin: Major French contemporary dance company operating as a CCN with a distinctive auteur choreographic voice and extensive international touring. Highly comparable as a publicly funded French contemporary dance institution with international reach.
• Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch: Iconic German dance theater company internationally renowned for its distinctive choreographic voice and global touring. Comparable as a publicly funded European dance company with auteur direction and international festival circuit presence.
• Ballets de Monte-Carlo: A national ballet company under the direction of Jean-Christophe Maillot with a contemporary repertoire, based in Monaco. Comparable as a national-level French-region ballet company with a contemporary programming focus and international tour network.
• Ballet Preljocaj: A leading French contemporary ballet company based at the Pavillon Noir in Aix-en-Provence, also designated as a Centre chorégraphique National. Directly comparable as a flagship French CCN producing original choreographic works with international touring.
• Malandain Ballet Biarritz: French national ballet company based in Biarritz under Thierry Malandain's direction, designated as a Centre chorégraphique national. Comparable as a French national ballet company producing original contemporary repertoire with international touring.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/balletmarseille
• Facebookfacebook.com/BalletnationaldeMarseille
• Instagraminstagram.com/balletnationaldemarseille
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ballet-national-marseille

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ballet national de Marseille