Jane Avril was a French can-can dancer made famous by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec through his paintings. Extremely thin, "given to jerky movements and sudden contortions", she was nicknamed La Mélinite, after an explosive.
Jane Avril, c. 1892, by Toulouse-Lautrec
Jane Avril, poster, 1893, by Toulouse-Lautrec
Bust of Jane Avril on a wave by Antoine Bourdelle
The can-can is a high-energy, physically demanding dance that became a popular music-hall dance in the 1840s, continuing in popularity in French cabaret to this day. Originally danced by couples, it is now traditionally associated with a chorus line of female dancers. The main features of the dance are the vigorous manipulation of skirts and petticoats, along with high kicks, splits, and cartwheels.
Depiction of the can-can by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1895
Georges Seurat, 1889–90, Le Chahut, oil on canvas, 170 cm × 141 cm (67 in × 56 in), Kröller-Müller Museum
Toulouse-Lautrec, Jane Avril Dancing
Giuseppina Morlacchi introduced the can-can to American audiences in 1867.