François Perron is a graduate of the Paris Opera Ballet School where he studied under the direction of Claude Bessy. Before moving to the United States, François danced with La Scala in Milan, where Maurice Béjart invited him to Brussels as part of Les Ballets Du XXe Siecle. François has had principal contracts with the Northern Ballet Theatre of England and Ballet Du Nord.
He is one of a very few dancers to have danced with all three major ballet companies in New York City. When first arriving to the United States, François joined the Joffrey Ballet in New York City, where he danced principal roles. He then danced with the New York City Ballet for six years and briefly with American Ballet Theatre.
François has appeared with numerous companies worldwide as a guest artist and served as Ballet Master for New York Theatre Ballet as well as for Florence, Italy’s Maggio Danza. In 1997, François accepted a full faculty position at Studio Maestro (now Manhattan Youth Ballet) and from 2001- 2011 was Managing Artistic Director of the school and youth company. He is regularly invited to guest teacher at major dance schools including Miami City Ballet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company and the upper level at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. Perron is regularly on the faculty of American Ballet Theatre’s Young Dancer Summer Workshop and is a faculty member of The Juilliard School. François was the ballet coach of the boys of the Tony Award Winner Broadway show Billy Elliott for its entire run. He also teaches open class at Peridance Capezio Center, and his class is part of the Certificate Program at Peridance Capezio Center.
François’ students have been accepted to the Paris Opera Ballet School and as company members at American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet, Nederland Dans Theatre, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Sarasota Ballet, Carolina Ballet and Orlando Ballet.
Additionally, François Perron is an ABT® Certified Teacher, who has successfully completed the ABT® Teacher Training Intensive in Primary through Level 7 and Partnering of the ABT® National Training Curriculum.