Auguste Vestris came from a family of dancers; his father, Gaetano Apolline Baldassare Vestris, was one of the greatest dancers of the 18th century. Studying at the Royal Academy in Paris, Vestris made his public debut at the age of 12 with the Paris Opéra. By 16, he had become a principal dancer. He fled to London during the revolution, returning to Paris in 1793. He trained many famous dancers after retiring, including August Bournonville, Marius Petipa, Lucien Petipa, Fanny Eissler, Jules Perrot, and Marie Taglioni.