THE final act of the Paralympics in Paris will be a giant dance party.
That’s a promise from Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening and closing ceremonies for this year’s Olympics and Paralympics.
Jolly says 24 DJs will perform thumping techno and dance music at the Stade de France today as the curtain falls on the 2024 Paralympics.
“We want to turn the Stade de France into the biggest dance floor to celebrate the end of the Paralympics,” Jolly told reporters.
Much like during the Paralympic opening ceremony, which featured artists with disabilities and dancers using crutches or wheelchairs, the dance floor will be open for all.
“There will be choreographic sequences that will showcase the body,” Jolly said.
The closing ceremony marks the end of Paris’ Olympic and Paralympic journey.
For Jolly, a 42-year-old theatre director, it’s the final chapter of a busy summer.
Jolly directed the July 26 opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on the Seine River, which was widely praised but also met some criticism.
Jolly, who received support from French political leaders including President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, said the controversy did not lead to any changes to the ceremonies that followed.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “Nothing was changed, and nothing should have been changed.” — AP
