Editing Paris Opera Ballet (section)

===Serge Lifar as ballet director===
In 1929, [[Jacques Rouché]] invited 24-year-old dancer [[Serge Lifar]] to become the maitre de ballet of the Paris Opéra Ballet, which had fallen into decline in the late 19th century.

As [[ballet master]] from 1930 to 1944, and from 1947 to 1958, he devoted himself to the restoration of the technical level of the Opéra Ballet, returning it to its place as one of the best companies in the world.

Lifar gave the company a new strength and purpose, initiating the rebirth of ballet in France, and began to create the first of many ballets for that company.<ref name="Crisp 2002 3–15">{{cite journal|last=Crisp|first=Clement|title=ICARE: Remembering Serge Lifar|journal=Dance Research: The Journal of the Society for Dance Research|date=Winter 2002|volume=20|series=2|issue=2|pages=3–15|doi=10.3366/1290812}}</ref> During his three decades as director of the Paris Opéra Ballet, Lifar led the company through the turbulent times of [[World War II]] and the German occupation of France. Lifar brought the Paris Opéra Ballet to America and performed to full houses at the [[New York City Center]]. Audiences were enthusiastic and had great admiration for the company of dancers.<ref name="Crisp 2002 3–15"/>