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Mikhail Baryshnikov

(1948-)

Who Is Mikhail Baryshnikov?

An experienced and respected ballet dancer in the Soviet Union during the 1960s, Mikhail Baryshnikov was a beloved part of his nation. Unfortunately, the feelings weren't mutual at the time. He defected from the Soviet Union to Canada in 1974 before moving to the United States in hopes of having a better opportunity to express himself creatively. His technique transcended any cultural barriers he experienced through immigrating, as Americans loved his precision and grace as a ballet dancer just as the Soviets did. Baryshnikov worked with the American Ballet Theatre until 1978 before becoming its artistic director in the '80s.

Early Life and Career

Born in Riga, Latvia, on January 27, 1948, Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov went on to become one of the leading dancers of the 20th century. Baryshnikov's early years were difficult. His father was a Soviet colonel, and the two didn't get along. As he explained to The New York Times, his father "was not a very pleasant man." However, Baryshnikov later drew inspi

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Alvin Ailey

Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Ailey collaborated with other outstanding American artists including Romare Bearden, Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes, and Mary Lou Williams, to name a few. He was awarded the highest distinctions in the arts, including the Kennedy Center Honors in 1988 in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to American culture. In 2014, he posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the country’s highest civilian honor—in recognition of his contributions and commitment to civil rights and dance in America. When Mr. Ailey died on December 1, 1989, The New York Times said, “you didn’t need to have known [him] personally to have been touched by his humanity, enthusiasm, and exuberance and his courageous stand for multi-racial brotherhood.”

Mr. Ailey was a trailblazer, a man fully dedicated to his art form who generously shared his passion with everyone he encountered, from artists to audiences. His legacy lives on through his ballets—which continue to resonate with millions of people—and the AILEY organization, forever dedicated to h

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Most Famous 16 Dancers of the Past Century

Mikhail Baryshnikov (1948-present)

Known as the best living male ballet dancer, Mikhail "Misha" Baryshnikov is a famous Russian dancer. In 1977, he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe nomination for his work as "Yuri Kopeikine" in the film "The Turning Point." He also had a significant role in the last season of the television series "Sex and the City" and starred in the movie "White Nights" with American tap dancer Gregory Hines.

Rudolf Nureyev (1938-1993)

Russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, nicknamed the "Lord of the Dance," is often regarded as one of the greatest ballet dancers. Nureyev had his early career with the Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg. He defected from the Soviet Union to Paris in 1961, despite KGB efforts to stop him. This was the first defection of a Soviet artist during the Cold War and it created an international sensation. He was director of the Paris Opera Ballet from 1983 to 1989 and its chief choreogr