French cancan in Bordeaux: 168 dancers at the Water Mirror
On September 30, 2026, Bordeaux’s Miroir d’eau, the Water Mirror, became an open-air cabaret stage. Nine cabarets from Nouvelle-Aquitaine and four dance schools came together during FAB, Bordeaux Métropole’s international arts festival, for a French cancan world record attempt. A total of 168 dancers took part in the performance opposite Place de la Bourse.
I was there with my camera. I wanted to keep a little of that shared joy: the smiles, the colours and the enthusiasm of people giving themselves fully to a performance.
Laurie Jeanparis
An open-air French cabaret performance in Bordeaux
Swirling skirts, high kicks and splits brought the energy of French cabaret to Bordeaux’s waterfront. With Place de la Bourse as the backdrop, the dancers transformed a familiar setting into something briefly, wonderfully different.
What moved me was the meeting of that place and those performers. For a few minutes, the Water Mirror became a space filled with movement and colour, where each dancer contributed to something much larger.
That was the feeling I wanted to carry into the film. If you were there, I hope watching it brings something of the afternoon back. If you are discovering this Bordeaux dance event from another part of the world, I hope you can feel some of its warmth.
The nine cabarets taking part in FAB 2026
The festival programme listed nine participating cabarets from across Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the region surrounding Bordeaux in south-western France:
- L’Ange Bleu and Le Grain de Folie, Gironde
- Le Bambino, Dordogne
- Le Tapis Rouge, Haute-Vienne
- Le Navy Blue, Pyrénées-Atlantiques
- Le Petit Paradis, Lot-et-Garonne
- Le Cabaret Gaillard, Corrèze
- Le Domaine des Chais and La Castafiore, Charente-Maritime
Four dance schools joined them for the event. Together, the performers brought the work of the region’s cabaret stages into a shared public space.
Bringing cabaret into the city: FAB and L’Ange Bleu
According to 20 Minutes, the project began with a proposal from Alexandre Duvollet, director of L’Ange Bleu cabaret, to FAB director Sylvie Violan. The festival wanted the performance to happen in a public space, bringing this dance beyond the cabaret venues where audiences usually encounter it.
The event formed part of the 11th edition of FAB and the French Ministry of Culture’s Saison Cabaret programme. In Bordeaux, it offered a chance to discover the region’s cabaret performers together, each bringing their own presence and approach to the dance.
Was the French cancan world record officially confirmed?
Reports published on October 1, 2026, including one by 20 Minutes, describe a world record attempt involving 168 dancers. The dance itself lasted under five minutes: short, but intense. A court commissioner counted the participants, and video evidence was due to be sent to Guinness World Records for assessment.
Neither article confirms official certification. Based on the sources reviewed for this article as of October 5, 2026, this remains a world record attempt. The verified participant count and Guinness approval are separate stages.
French cancan: emancipation and living cultural heritage
The dance carries a history beyond its costumes and spectacular steps. Interviewed by 20 Minutes, Laurent Vinauger, the French Ministry of Culture’s cabaret representative, traces its roots to nineteenth-century Parisian dance halls and highlights its connection with protest and women’s emancipation.
That background adds another dimension to the images. In the dancers’ energy and freedom of movement, I also see a way of taking up space and making oneself visible. This is part of what draws me to dance: how much a body can express without words.
Both reports also describe efforts to have French cancan included in France’s national inventory of intangible cultural heritage, potentially followed by a UNESCO application. These are ambitions for recognition, not an existing UNESCO inscription. The reports differ on the progress of the national application, so no filing date is given here.
A filmmaker’s view of dance and collective joy
Dance touches me in a particular way. As a dancer myself, I find echoes of it in the gestures of the craftspeople I film: a rhythm, a distinctive way of moving and carrying oneself.
Here, I wanted to remember the joy of a group performing together. The smiles, the commitment, the colours: it was so beautiful to film. Thank you to the dancers for giving us something so generous to watch.
At a time when there is so much to worry about, moments that bring people together through something joyful feel especially precious. Making this film was my way of holding on to one of them.
Looking for a videographer in Bordeaux?
I am Laurie Jeanparis, a Bordeaux-based filmmaker and videographer. My work explores dance, live performance, artists and craftsmanship, with particular attention to movement and the atmosphere of a place.
If you run a dance school, cabaret, company, festival or cultural venue, I would be happy to discuss a film for your project. This could be an artist portrait, an event highlights film or video content introducing your work to a wider audience.