Former Charlotte Ballet Director Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux Dies at 82

Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, who led Charlotte Ballet for two decades, died April 13, 2025, at a care center in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was 82.

His ex-wife Patricia McBride confirmed to The New York Times that heart failure took his life.

In 1996, Bonnefoux stepped in to direct what was then the North Carolina Dance Theatre. Under his watch, the group took on its current name and grew into a major force in regional arts.

"Jean-Pierre was an inspiration to generations of artists," said Douglas Singleton, executive director of Charlotte Ballet, to WCNC. "His legacy is joyful leadership, inspired by the artists who attract the best choreographers and the choreographers who attract the best artists while celebrating our Charlotte community."

His path to Charlotte wound through Paris, where he shone as an étoile at the Opera Ballet. At just 27, he joined the New York City Ballet as a principal dancer in 1970. There, he brought life to works by masters George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins.

His creative touch shaped many Charlotte Ballet productions. He crafted versions of "Carmina Burana," "Sleeping Beauty," and other classics. His take on "Nutcracker" became a cherished winter ritual for local families.

While he steered the company, it staged pieces by dance giants like Alvin Ailey and Twyla Tharp. The dance world took notice in 2010 when the company's base got a new name: the Patricia McBride and Jean Pierre Bonnefoux Center for Dance.

For nearly four decades, Bonnefoux ran a summer dance program at New York's Chautauqua Institution, starting in 1983. Though he stepped down as artistic director in 2017, he stayed on as coach and mentor.

He leaves his children, Christopher and Melanie Bonnefoux DeCoudres, three grandchildren, and family in France. Friends and admirers will gather on May 12 at 3 p.m. in the Center for Dance, Uptown Charlotte, to honor his memory.