Patrick Armand has extensive international experience, both as a dancer and as a teacher.
He was born in Marseille and studied with Rudy Bryans, his mother Colette Armand, as well as at the École de Danse de Marseille. In 1980, he won the Prix de Lausanne and continued his training at the School of American Ballet and the Centre de Danse International in Cannes.
In 1981, he joined the Ballet Théâtre Français de Nancy and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1983. In the same year, Patrick was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance in Béjartʼs Song of a Wayfarer, alongside Rudolf Nureyev. From 1984, he danced with the London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet), before joining Boston Ballet in 1990, where he received the E. Virginia Williams Inspirational Award for his work with the company. His repertoire includes many leading roles in works by Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, John Cranko, Kenneth MacMillan, Roland Petit, Glen Tetley and Hans van Manen. In 1988, he danced the role of Siegfried in the world premiere of Natalia Makarovaʼs production of Swan Lake with the London Festival Ballet. In the same year, he was voted Dancer of the Year by the British magazine Dance and Dancers. Works by renowned choreographers such as Christopher Bruce, Twyla Tharp and Christopher Wheeldon were also created for him.
As a guest artist, Patrick Armand has performed with several renowned ballet companies, including the Australian Ballet, the Bavarian State Ballet, the Kirov Ballet and the Noriko Kobayashi Ballet Theatre.
In 2002, he took over the direction of Studio Ballet Colette Armand in Marseille. He also taught as a guest at the schools and companies of The Royal Ballet in London as well as at the National Ballet of Canada. From 2006 to 2010, he was a ballet master and teacher at Teatro alla Scala. Furthermore, he is regularly invited by the Japan Ballet Association as a teacher and coach. In 2010, he joined the San Francisco Ballet School, where he became Associate Director in 2012 and Director in 2017, leading the school with great success.
Patrick Armand has repeatedly served as a juror, teacher and coach at the Prix de Lausanne.
As of September 1, 2025, Patrick Armand has been appointed Director of the Ballet Academy of the Vienna State Opera.