1 8 2 0 , ▁Antoine ▁B ourn on ville ▁received ▁a ▁grant ▁from ▁his ▁so ver eign ▁to ▁briefly ▁study ▁bal let ▁in ▁Paris . ▁B ourn on ville ▁accompanied ▁his ▁father ▁to ▁Paris , ▁and , ▁although ▁he ▁studied ▁sole ly ▁with ▁his ▁father ▁during ▁the ▁Paris ▁so j ourn , ▁he ▁was ▁exposed ▁to ▁the ▁latest ▁tr ends ▁in ▁bal let ▁and ▁watched ▁the ▁ill ust ri ous ▁teachers , ▁Gard el ▁and ▁V est ris ▁in ▁action . ▁Upon ▁returning ▁to ▁Den mark , ▁B ourn on ville ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Theatre , ▁dan cing ▁in ▁re pert ory ▁that ▁was ▁less ▁interesting ▁to ▁him ▁after ▁his ▁expos ure ▁to ▁Paris ▁bal let . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 8 2 4 , ▁B ourn on ville ▁returned ▁to ▁Paris ▁for ▁final ▁studies ▁and ▁exam ination ▁prepar ations ▁at ▁the ▁Paris ▁Opera . ▁The ▁expected ▁fifteen - month ▁so j ourn ▁would ▁stretch ▁to ▁five ▁years , ▁during ▁which ▁time ▁Dan ish ▁bal let ▁would ▁approach ▁near - dis astr ous ▁decl ine . ▁In ▁Paris , ▁B ourn on ville ▁met ▁his ▁father ' s ▁old ▁friend , ▁Louis ▁N ivel on , ▁who ▁provided ▁him ▁with ▁friendship , ▁me als , ▁and ▁ent ree ▁into ▁society . ▁B ourn on ville ▁hoped ▁the ▁master ▁Gard el ▁would ▁accept ▁him ▁but ▁Gard el ' s ▁studio ▁was ▁no ▁longer ▁in ▁existence ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁directed ▁to ▁August e ▁V est ris ▁for ▁training