A photograph of Jane AvrilExtremely thin and given to jerky movements and sudden contortions, the
Parisian dancer Jane Avril (1868-1943) was nicknamed La Mélinite, after an
explosive. Her name at birth was Jeanne Beaudon, the daughter of a courtesan
known as La Belle Elise and the Marchese Luigi de Font, an Italian aristocrat.
When her mother committed her to the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital to be treated
for “female hysterics,” Jeanne put on a dancing exhibition that captivated
everyone. Released from the hospital at the age of 16, she pursued a career in
dancing by performing at the Parisian caberets. She adopted the stage name Jane
Avril. First hired by the Moulin Rouge nightclub in 1889, within a few years she
was headlining at the Jardin de Paris, one of the major café-concerts on the
Champs-Élysées. In 1895, the owners of the Moulin Rouge offered her a great
deal of money to take on the risky task of replacing Louise Weber, the most
famous dancer in Paris. Jane met the challenge and became one of the most
notable entertainers in the Parisian nightlife scene.