Born in Nantes, Hugo Marchand began his training at the Conservatoire National de Nantes before joining the Paris Opera Ballet School in 2007. He entered the Paris Opera Ballet at 17, was promoted to First Soloist in 2015, and was named Étoile in 2017 at the age of 23. He has performed many of the leading roles in the classical repertoire, including Romeo & Juliet ; Swan Lake ; Giselle ; La Bayadère ; Don Quixote ; Cinderella ; and Onegin ; as well as works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite and Wayne McGregor. Hugo has received numerous awards, including the Benois de la Danse for Best Dancer in 2017 and 2023, and was named in Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe in 2018. Alongside his international guest appearances, he is the founder of the non-profit initiative Les Étoiles au Château, which brings world-class ballet performances to communities across France. In 2025, he was made Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.
