This summer, the Château de Versailles invites visitors to step into the splendor of courtly life through an innovative partnership with Snapchat’s augmented reality (AR) technology.
Dansez Versailles is a cultural experience that fuses history, art, and technology to not only help us learn about the past—but also to experience it firsthand. Millions visit Versailles each year to witness the grandeur of the site where lavish festivities unfolded during the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King. In the Baroque era, courtly life revolved around elaborate rituals—balls, masquerades, ballets, and comédie-ballets.
At Versailles, dancing wasn’t reserved for special occasions, it was a daily ritual that expressed hierarchy, taste, and political sophistication. Louis XIV, an accomplished dancer himself, made it central to his court’s identity, founding the Académie Royale de Danse in 1661 and elevating dance to a symbol of royal prestige.
How the Dansez Versailles Snapchat Experience Works
Baroque dance expert Pierre-François Dollé developed four original choreographies for the project. Using motion capture technology, a professional dancer from the Opéra Royal de Versailles brought these routines to life, transforming them into 3D animations. Each dance is tied to a specific location within the château’s gardens, reflecting its theme and history:
“Bal du Roi” at the Bassin de Latone captures the regal presence expected of nobility, set among André Le Nôtre’s symmetrical formal gardens.
“Bal en Masque” in the Orangerie emphasizes the elegance and strict social protocols of the masked courtly balls.
“Ballet” at the Théâtre d’Eau draws from joyful rural dances of the period, representing popular, everyday festivity rather than polished performance.
“Comédie-Ballet” at the Salle de Bal Bosquet blends dance, narration, and music in theatrical form—an homage to the works of Molière and Lully.
The experience is accessible via the Château de Versailles mobile app or through Snapchat’s Lens Carousel. Visitors first use the front camera to select a virtual Baroque headpiece. Then, using the rear camera, they see their face superimposed onto the body of a fully costumed 17th-century dancer, offering a vivid, immersive look at courtly life through their own reflection.
Since the feature’s launch, over 40% of Versailles visitors have downloaded the app and engaged with the AR dances.
Reclaiming the Gardens as a Stage of Splendor
Unlike painting or sculpture, choreography leaves behind no physical trace. Preserving the gestures, rhythms, and aesthetics of historical dance relies on documentation and memory. This AR experience introduces a new kind of cultural storytelling, one that archives movement and makes it visible, dynamic, and emotionally resonant.
According to Antoine Gilbert, manager of Snap’s AR Studio Paris, “These experiences offer an unprecedented encounter with period dances, recreated with precision. By integrating choreographic content into the real environment, we give life to an intangible heritage rarely accessible to the general public.”
Technology as a Medium of Transmission
Versailles partnered with AR Studio Paris, a creative lab launched by Snapchat in 2021 focused on non-commercial projects across culture, education, and entertainment. Their mission is to merge cutting-edge technology with artistic expression.
This project is part of a broader investment in France’s next generation of digital artists and developers, encouraging cultural and educational institutions to collaborate in new ways. AR is poised to become a cornerstone of museums and heritage sites, just as self-guided audio tours once revolutionized the visitor experience. But instead of merely hearing about the past, guests can now see themselves moving through it, becoming part of history rather than just observing it.
