Chloé Lopes Gomes

Chloé Lopes Gomes (born c. 1991) is a French ballet dancer known for being the first biracial female dancer from subsaharan African descent in the Staatsballett Berlin.^[1][2]

Personal life

Lopes Gomes was born in Nice, France.^[3] Her father is from Cape Verde, and her mother is French and Algerian. She is mixed-race. ^[4]

Career

Lopes Gomes first took dance lessons at the Conservatoire de Nice.^[3] She later trained at Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille then the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Russia.^[5][6] She has performed with Opéra de Nice, France, the New English Ballet Theater, and Béjart Ballet in Lausanne, Switzerland.^[6][7]

Lopes Gomes joined the Staatsballett Berlin in 2018, and became their first Black ballet dancer.^[2] In 2020, Lopes Gomes' contract was not renewed and she left the Staatsballett Berlin. Lopes Gomes later alleged she was discriminated against because of her race and directed to wear whitening make-up to perform while at Staatsballett Berlin.^[2] Staatsballett Berlin conducted an investigation into the claims, later giving out €16,000 to Lopes Gomes and renewed her contract in an out-of-court settlement.^[7][8]

Lopes Gomes was named in BBC's 100 Women 2021.^[9]

References