CALEDONIAN CAN CAN
The Moulin Rouge may be quintessentially French, but a trio of audaciously talented Scots dancers are nightly performers at Paris’ premier night-time attraction
Swapping Scotland for the high life in Paris, we speak with the three Scots who dance at the iconic Moulin Rouge
From the day a wee girl twirls dreamily in her first tutu and points her toes in a pair of pristine ballet pumps, hopes of becoming a dancing star are born, writes Rosie Morton.
And while some set their sights on filling Ginger Rogers’ or Darcey Bussell’s shoes, it was the dazzling lights of Paris’ Moulin Rouge that captured the imaginations of Scots Lucy Monaghan, Sarah Tandy and Michaela Rondelli.
High-kicking their way to stardom on the very stage on which legendary artists Liza Minnelli, Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra once dazzled, this bejewelled trio perform beneath the turning sails of the Red Mill twice a night in the iconic can-can cabaret.
Dressed to the nines in feathers, rhinestones and sequins, performing in this historic ‘Belle Époque-styled venue – which has welcomed innumerable famous faces through its doors since its grand opening in 1889 and is still adorned with original posters, frescoes and paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec – is a whirlwind experience for any girl who is chosen to become one of the elite danseuses du Moulin Rouge.
Giving a glimpse into the glitz and glamour of this outrageous Parisian tradition, Edinburgh-based photographer Marc Millar captured the visual cacophony that is the ‘Féerie’ show. From dance school stories to tales of gruelling auditions, we speak to the three girls who traded Scotland for the high life in Paris – and with 600,000 spectators a year, their dreams of seeing their name in shining lights has finally come true.
‘Marc Millar captured the visual cacophony that is the Féerie show’