Famos dancers I - Mikhail Baryshnikov - Ballet

I am kinda missing some history in my blog, so I decided to start a new series
featuring famous dancers.















Picture by Annie Leibovitz

Mikhail Baryshnikov is one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century.
With the help of television he has also become one of the most widely recognisable
contemporary performers to the world audience.















Mikhail Nikolaevitch Baryshnikov was born on January 27, 1948 in Riga, USSR.
He bagan studying ballet in 1960, at the age of 12. In 1964 he entered the Vaganova
School to further his ballet studies. He soon began winning top honors and leading
roles in major ballets. Upon seeing him dance in the Soviet Union, Clive Barnes, a
New York Times critic, called him the most perfect dancer he had ever seen.

Leaving Russia:

Because the Soviet dance world held fast to 19th century traditions and shunned
creativity, Baryshnikov decided to move west. He first defected to Canada, then made
his way to the United States. During his first two years away from Russia, he danced
for 13 different choreographers.

New York City Ballet:

In 1978, Baryshnikov became a principal dancer for the New York City Ballet, under
the direction of George Balanchine. His distinctive style won him many leading roles,
although Balanchine never created a new work for him. In 1980, he changed his role
from performer to director, becoming Artistic Director of the American Ballet Theatre.

Film Career:

Baryshnikov began dancing for American television in 1976. In 1977, CBS brought
his production of the Nutcracker at the American Ballet Theatre to television, which
until today remains the most popular and is one of only two versions of "The
Nutcracker" to be nominated for an Emmy Award.
He also portrayed a famous Russian ballet dancer in the 1977 film The Turning Point,
receiving an Oscar nomination.















He later starred in the 1985 film White Nights, and Sex and the City.

Family Life:

Baryshnikov has three children with former ballerina Lisa Rinehart, although they
remain unmarried. He also has a daughter from a former relationship with actress
Jessica Lange.