Maurice Jean Berger was the son of philosopher Gaston Berger (Marseille, January 1, 1927 - Lausanne, November 22, 2007). He studied philosophy and became famous as Maurice Béjart, a French dancer and choreographer. He founded in 1960 the Ballet of the XXth Century in Brussels, with which he toured worldwide. Béjart worked since 1987 in Lausanne as artistic director of the "Bejart Ballet Lausanne”. His most famous ballets he made to the music of Le Sacre du Printemps by Igor Stravinsky, at Maurice Ravel 's Bolero and Romeo et Juliette by Hector Berlioz.

In 1968 he, along with composer Pierre Boulez and director Jean Vilar was one of the initiators of the construction of a new opera house in Paris - this led to the construction of the Opéra Bastille. In 1974 Béjart won the Erasmus prize.

His final ballet, "Around the world in 80 minutes," went one month after his death in premiere. It was completed by his successor at the Ballet Lausanne, Gil Roman.