Valentin le désossé

Who was Valentin le désossé?

Valentin le désossé - Valentin the Boneless - was the stage name of Jacques Renaudin, a French Cancan dancer and partner of La Goulue.

He was the son of a notary from Sceaux. Not much is known about his early childhood but it is believed that he was a wine merchant by day who was dancing at night in his free time at the bal of the Moulin Rouge, where he met Louise Weber also known as La Goulue. They were dancing together the chahut, a form of Can-can.

He was tall and slender. His name derived from the elasticity of his articulations. He could perform difficult contortions with grace, almost as if he were boneless. He would move from position to position with astonishing beauty. Le désossé was never paid for dancing because he loved to do it and refused pay.

He retired in 1895 and what he did after the Moulin Rouge is not well known.