Gardel directed the Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris for 40 years, adapting to the turmoil of the French Revolution and the reign of Napoleon. His first three ballets, Le Judgement de Pâris (1787), Psyché (1790), and Télémanque (1790) drew upon classic myths and were considered compatible with the old regime. As the French Revolution caused a political upheaval, Gardel created patriotic dances which combined political content with neoclassical ideas. Gardel argued that strong technical dancing was as important to ballet as story and theatrics. He kept mime to a minimum and cast those with natural dramatic ability, offering dancers what he saw as challenging and dramatic work.