The Dance Foyer at the Opera on the rue Le Peletier

Introduced behind the scenes at the Opéra on rue Le Peletier, Degas takes an interest in the small world of dancers. This is a dance class, where the ballerinas are practicing under the watchful eye of the ballet teacher, the only male presence. The tension and the promiscuity are palpable. Some perform the movements, while others seem tired or even exhausted. The painter, by approaching the composition diagonally, spares the intrusion of the outside into this world closed by means of the mirror.