Moulin Rouge

The Moulin Rouge is perhaps the most archetypical French variety venue. It was founded in 1889 at the height of the Belle Époque by Joseph Oller and Charles Zidler and offers its guests music, dance, and drama to this day. Initially, the Moulin Rouge was used for revues, operettas and movie screenings. This was followed by shows that were more akin to circus performances. Acrobatics and clowning, alongside showgirls and dancers, were part of the performances that initially served only for the entertainment of the wealthy citizens. The famous dance Cancan, in which the dancers perform high kicks, became a hallmark of the Moulin Rouge. Jane Avril and La Goulue were two famous performers in the Montmartre variety that were especially celebrated for their Cancan. Over the years, greats such as Edith Piaf, Frank Sinatra, or Ella Fitzgerald also performed here.

Every day, the Moulin Rouge captivates audiences with 80 performers, including 60 Doriss Girls (Cancan dancers) during the two-hour performance of Féerie. Visitors experience several scenes, ranging from a pirate ship and Paris to the circus. Although the show has been in the program since 1999, it is almost sold out daily. In addition to the talent of the performers, the 1,000 colorful costumes, designed and fabricated by ateliers and the in-house tailor, created in cooperation with selected Parisian workshops, also impress. These costumes are intricately hand-decorated with beads, sequins, and feathers, and usually weigh severals kilos.

In 1963, the cabaret "Frou-Frou" was developed, which was so successful that the subsequent shows were also supposed to start with an "F". This was followed by "Fascination", "Fantastic", "Formidable", and of course "Féerie".

The Moulin Rouge is located in the Montmartre district, which once had a rural character. Surrounded by 30 windmills that ground the grain, this hill village was once a settlement for artists. Today, only the red mill on the roof of the Moulin Rouge remains as a reminder of the former environment. The beautiful view of Paris from the city hill is naturally preserved to this day!

To pursue her passion, the ballet, Dorothea Haug from Stuttgart traveled to Paris in the 1950s and became known as "Miss Doris". The dance group she founded, "Les Doris Girls", which consisted of four dancers, auditioned at the Moulin Rouge, which then hired her as a choreographer. Miss Doris choreographed the cancan dance shows for 40 years, helping the Moulin Rouge to fame. Due to a spelling error on the first promotional posters, the Doris Girls became the Doriss Girls. Even today, the cancan dancers are referred to as Doriss Dancers.

The reputation of the Moulin Rouge has changed over the years, but the posters of the painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec still adorn the walls today. During a lively evening, it's easy to fall into the nostalgia of the Belle Époque. Visitors often drink a glass or two of champagne. This way, the Moulin Rouge manages up to 800 bottles of champagne per show night. Annually, 240,000 liters of Champagne are consumed. With this, the Moulin Rouge is the largest champagne consumer in France.

The Bar à Bulles is located in the same building complex as the Moulin Rouge and serves Mezze and Tapas. Additionally, Brunch is offered on weekends. Due to high demand, it is advised to reserve a table in advance. Through the Bar à Bulles, you can reach the rooftop terrace of the Moulin Rouge named TOIT and thus also the famous 'red windmill'. Here you can enjoy cocktails and exquisite tapas in a cozy atmosphere under fruit trees. On weekends, La Machine du Moulin Rouge, one of Europe's largest clubs, opens its dance floors. You can party until the early morning hours on several levels.

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Before I tell you what a day in the life of a Doriss Girl looks like, I would like to briefly tell you how to get there. If, after years of training, you as a dancer are finally ready and tall enough (at least 172cm, preferably 178cm) to become a Doriss Girl, you can make your way to the audition. An audition is a selection process held in one day and bids farewell to dancers in several rounds until the selected elite remains. All dancers going to the audition could dance at the Moulin Rouge. Thus, the selection process is often not an indicator of whether the dancer is good or bad at dancing, but the admission decisively depends on the dancer's condition that day, and whether she fits the image, i.e., whether her dance style matches the other girls. An audition decides the next months or even years of your life, so dancers are often nervous and still have to give their all at the audition to be selected.

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Once the dancer has passed the audition, it's time to prepare for life as a Doriss Girl. Many dancers come from other countries and have to move to Paris first before they start learning the show numbers during rehearsals for the performances. The rehearsal phase is the most strenuous and exciting part of the contract with the Moulin Rouge and lasts three weeks. Choreographies are learned, places on stage are assigned, and they rehearse, rehearse, and rehearse again. After the many rehearsals, it's time for the first performance at the Moulin Rouge as a Doriss Girl. After the first weeks, the dancers have adjusted to their new life and adapt their daily routine accordingly.

Because the dancers dance until late into the night, a showgirl typically gets up around noon. Due to the heavy makeup, a good skincare routine is crucial for a dancer. After waking up, a dancer's body is also often tired, so many like to include stretches or massages with the Blackroll into their morning routine. Since showgirls really do a lot of sports, paying attention to a good diet is very important. Typical Parisian, the showgirls like to head to the nearest café and enjoy a cappuccino and a (wholegrain) baguette.

Many of the showgirls are from other cities, countries, or continents, so most of them enjoy rediscovering the city of Paris itself alongside their performances. So, exploring is on the to-do list in the afternoon. Paris has so many beautiful sides and arrondissements. If you spend more time in Paris, you also have enough time to walk on paths away from the tourist highlights. For example, in winter the Aquarium de Paris - Cinéaqua is recommended. On a beautiful spring day, the Disneyland Paris, without the many visitors that it attracts during the holidays. In summer, the Catacombs of Paris offer a good cooling off from the hot streets of the city. And on a nice autumn day, sitting comfortably in a café near the Champs-Élysées is a pleasure.

The first show of the day is around 9:00 PM for most of the dancers. The showgirls often arrive at the Moulin Rouge at the same time as the visitors who have booked a dinner ticket. For most dancers, the workday starts at 7:00 PM. If you see a tall, pretty, young woman on her way to the Moulin Rouge, she might be one of the dancers. Once at the location, the show make-up is applied first. Make-up for the stage is very strong, so that the faces are still recognizable from the back seats. False eyelashes and red lips are a must. The dancers' real hair is often in a bun, supplemented with fake hair, or even hidden in a wig. A warm-up before the show is important, so that the body is prepared for the strain during the show. Every dancer knows what warm-up she needs. The start for the warm-up is usually at around 8:15 PM.

The show is demanding and exhausting. The Doriss Girls have many costume changes. They have many helpers backstage who assist them with changing. Especially the Cancan is a very strenuous dance. Try throwing your leg up for a minute at home while still smiling. Thus, dancers need to have very good stamina for the show, take care of their bodies, and stay fit.
In the 45-minute break between the first show and the second show of the evening, the dancers try to keep their bodies warm. Some go over the choreography and positions again. Most, however, meet backstage for a quick chat and a coffee.

The workday for most dancers ends at around 1:00 AM. At home, the make-up is removed, the hairspray brushed out of their hair, and a bit of self-care is done. Many roll out their tired muscles with balls or foam rollers, while a face mask hydrates the skin. Stretching is also part of their routine, before a warm shower prepares the body for bed, so the fun can start all over again tomorrow.

On some days, the dancers of the Moulin Rouge have mandatory rehearsals for Féerie, or for other shows that the showgirls can be booked for. A rehearsal for a show can last up to 3-4 hours. In addition, they also have dance classes they must attend, such as ballet or contemporary. As a Doriss Girl at the Moulin Rouge, you not only dance the shows, but can also be booked for many other gigs. Sometimes special events take place at the Moulin Rouge, where the dancers perform. This work routine was just described by the dancer Allie Goodbun. She recently reported to us that, in addition to her shows at the Moulin Rouge, she was booked for a TV event by L’Oreal to be a showgirl in an advertisement for the new mascara. Many of the dancers are also models and are booked for photoshoots or catwalks. The dancers from the Moulin Rouge were also booked for performances at the beauty pageant in France in 2023.

The most famous dancer of the Moulin Rouge was Valentin Le Désossé (1843-1907). His real name was Jules Renaudin, and his stage name ‘The Boneless’, because he could bend and twist like no other. The ability to bend came from a very rare disease, the Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, in which sufferers have hyperelastic muscle mass. He grew up in 'High Society' and therefore never wanted to be paid for his performances. He danced on the boards of the Moulin Rouge 83,112 times before he left the stage one night and was never seen again. In the famous picture by Toulouse-Lautrec, he is the man on the right with the top hat.

She was an icon of the cabaret and an incredible performer. She came to Paris in 1925 as a singer, dancer and actress and later joined the Resistance as a fighter against racism. On May 19, 1953, she sang the song J’ai deux amours on the stage of the Moulin Rouge at the Charity Gala Bal des Petits Lits Blancs. The famous Charly Chaplin congratulated her on her magnificent performance. On November 30, 2021, she was the first black woman to be admitted into the Parisian Panthéon.

Many labels love collaborating with the Moulin Rouge. Thus, a collection of bags and jewelry pieces co-created with the Moulin Rouge, or inspired by the Moulin Rouge, exist.
Since January 2024, the Moulin Rouge has a collaboration with the jewelry label Les Couronnes de Victoire. Each of the jewelry pieces is dedicated to a person who made history at the Moulin Rouge. For example, there are earrings named Colette. She is a famous Parisian novelist who also performed on the stages of the Moulin Rouge.

Ten seamstresses work daily to create new costumes and refurbish the costumes that are currently used in the atelier of the Moulin Rouge. Many of the costumes need to be sewn by hand; each individual sparkling stone is manually attached. The production needs 1,000 tailor-made costumes and accessories.

The Maison Février is located at the foot of Montmartre.Feathers come to life in the hands of the feather makers in the light-flooded loft space. The craftsmen have been creating feathers for the impressive and elaborate costumes of Moulin Rouge since 1957. Each year, about 3,000 meters of feather boas are artfully created, adorning 300 costumes. The Maison Février has been around since 1929, and not only equips the Moulin Rouge.

The Atelier Valentin is responsible for the intricate embroideries on the costumes and accessories of the artists. It is located in the 9th Arrondissement and applies rhinestones, beads, and sequins to the costumes.

Maison Clairvoy has been around since 1945 and has specialized in the production of shoes for the performing arts since 1955. The shoes are handcrafted and custom-made for the feet of the dancers.

The film and the musical of the same name Moulin Rouge, tells the story of a writer who falls in love with a dancer from the Moulin Rouge in Paris. On the other hand, the show Féerie does not tell a story and is created for the entertainment of the guests.

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The auditions for the dancers of the Moulin Rouge take place around the world. Currently, there are a total of 90 dancers from 14 different countries, including Canada, Australia, England, and Brazil. The dancers usually remain engaged at Moulin Rouge for 2-3 years.

It was possible to book the room under the red windmill on Airbnb for three unique nights in 2022. This was not only a brilliant advertising idea but also an exceptional opportunity that will hopefully be repeated soon!

The menu at the Moulin Rouge changes seasonally and is put together by the best chefs. In total, the kitchen team comprises 120 people, who come from the best catering schools and restaurants, and serve 850 guests flawlessly every evening.