The purpose of this article will be to question several common assumptions associated with Jean-Georges Noverre, for example, his rivarly with Gasparo Angiolini, the originality of his aesthetics, or his importance in the historical “periodization” of ballet. Also, by considering the question of what constitutes an “author” as well as what defines the status of artistic production in dance, we highlight the importance of investigating how the figure of Noverre came to be constructed in the early 19th century. These reflections demonstrate how Noverre’s name and status as an author were invoked, even generated, by other historical actors in the field of dance whose own projects would benefit from an affiliation with the figure of Noverre.
