Ballet dancer of China's Central Ballet Troupe rehearse classic Swan Lake in Paris, France, Sept. 24, 2013. China's Central Ballet Troupe will give performances of the classic Swan Lake and Chinese ballet Red Detachment of Women here from Sept. 25 to Oct.3. (Xinhua/Chen Xiaowei)

Ballerinas in tutus danced scenes from Swan Lake on the forecourt of the Paris Opera on Tuesday to protest against President Emmanuel Macron's plans to scrap their special pension benefits.

Backed by the Paris Symphony Orchestra, the dancers performed their impromptu 20-minute rendition before hundreds of onlookers. 

Paris Opera dancers have a bespoke pension plan dating back to the 17th century. It includes the right to retire on a full pension at the age of 42, two decades earlier than the average worker.

They stand to lose those benefits if Macron pushes ahead with a planned overhaul of a pension system that he says will be fairer, incentivize workers to stay in the labor force until 64.

"We start classical dance at the age of 8. By our late teenage years, we're getting recurring injuries," said ballerina Heloise Jocqueviel."It's hard to maintain a level of excellence until 42, but 64 seems impossible."