The “little rats” of the Paris Opera, or les petits rats, were young ballet dancers whose lives during the Belle Époque were defined by systemic exploitation and extreme vulnerability. According to historical records, these dancers—often recruited from the working class between the ages of eight and fifteen—depended on wealthy patrons known as abonnés for financial survival. These power dynamics turned the opera’s rehearsal spaces into sites of sexual coercion, a reality captured in the works of Edgar Degas and documented by contemporary observers like poet Théophile Gautier.
Why were the Paris Opera dancers called “little rats”?
The term les petits rats emerged from the daily realities of the Paris Opera’s training environment. According to cultural historians, the nickname likely stemmed from the scratching sounds of ballet slippers on the wooden rehearsal floors, which mimicked the movement of rodents. Others, as noted in historical accounts of the period, suggest the name evolved from the phonetic similarity between the final syllable of “opéra” and the French word rat. Some sources also point to the aggressive, competitive nature of the young dancers fighting for limited contracts, which onlookers compared to the behavior of vermin in a confined space.
Théophile Gautier, in an 1866 essay, described these dancers as living in near-total isolation from the outside world. He noted that a 16-year-old dancer was already considered “old” by the standards of the company, as their lives were consumed entirely by rehearsals in dark, poorly lit rooms.
How did the abonnés system exploit young dancers?
The foyer de la danse, intended as a rehearsal hall, functioned as an exclusive club where wealthy subscribers, or abonnés, accessed young performers. According to reports from Le Figaro in 1859, it became a standard trope of the era that bankers and socialites maintained young ballet dancers as mistresses. These men provided financial support—often necessary for the dancers’ impoverished families—in exchange for sexual access and influence over the dancers’ careers. By 1892, records indicate that these sponsorships had become a primary revenue stream for the Paris Opera, effectively institutionalizing the exploitation of minors.
What role did art play in documenting this exploitation?
Edgar Degas produced approximately 1,500 works focused on the ballet, yet his depictions often mask the harsh reality behind an aesthetic of grace. While his paintings of tulle skirts and practice sessions appear idyllic, critics point to the recurring presence of shadowed, well-dressed men in the background of his compositions as evidence of the abonnés‘ influence. Degas himself held complex, often misogynistic views, describing his models as “monkeys” and blaming the dancers for the predatory relationships they were forced into to survive. His famous sculpture, The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer, modeled after Marie van Goethem, was criticized by contemporaries as “repulsively ugly,” reflecting a society that blamed the exploited victims rather than the systemic abuse they endured.
Comparison: Modern Perception vs. Historical Reality
| Perspective | Focus |
|---|---|
| 19th Century Critics | Moralized the dancers’ “sinful” nature and appearance. |
| Modern Historians | Identify systemic poverty and institutionalized predation. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the “little rats” after they turned 16?
Once dancers aged out of the “little rat” category—typically around age 16—they often lost their primary source of income. Many were forced into prostitution, as they lacked other professional opportunities and had been conditioned by the opera’s environment to rely on wealthy patrons.
Was Edgar Degas aware of the exploitation?
Yes, but he viewed it through a lens of personal prejudice. Degas documented the presence of the abonnés in his art but frequently expressed disdain for the dancers, whom he blamed for their own circumstances.
Why is this history relevant today?
The history of the Paris Opera dancers serves as a precedent for understanding how institutional power and economic desperation can create environments where exploitation is normalized under the guise of artistic tradition.
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