Théâtre des Champs-Élysées

Um, but even more so then, um, who had the opportunity, or she took the opportunity to make her way through the USA and eventually to Paris.

When she arrived here in Paris, she danced on the stages of, well, the world, but firstly, here in Paris at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, creating a, a moment that changed the world.

She, she was the image and energy of, of the moderninity, of moderninity, if I'm saying this word correctly, forgive me, of the modern energy coming into the world after the end of World War I, if you will.

Uh, she was also a personality who was loved and lauded by many, many artists who painted her and her images and their own ideas of how they wanted to paint her.

... she started dancing in the Folies, in the Champs-Élysées, and then the Folies Bergère after this?

To ans- yes.

She started at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the dance that made her so famous, and let's face it, this dance is called a danse sauvage.

It was her and a gentleman from Martinique by the name of Joey Alex.

Imagine, if you will, a theater in Paris on the second of October, nineteen twenty-five.

The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées is full.

The house lights have gone down.

On the stage, a show called La Revue Nègre has been running for a while now, and the audience is polite, curious, a little restless.

This is the story of Josephine Baker, a girl from St. Louis who became the most famous woman in France and who loved in every direction her heart could reach.

Imagine, if you will, a theater in Paris on the second of October 1925.

The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées is full.

The house lights have gone down.

It is greatly appreciated.

First up, though, on this date in 1925, entertainer extraordinaire Miss Josephine Baker made her historic Paris debut performing in La Revue Negre at the Théâtre de Champs-Élysées.

Her performance took the city by storm, and it prompted her to permanently relocate to France, where she became a celebrated citizen, activist, and and a huge cultural icon.

In fact, she is the first Black American-born woman to be inducted into their pantheon.