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Boyishly cute, diminutive and strong as a bull, but as graceful as any gazelle or swan, Mikhail Baryshnikov is a household name even to non-balletomanes. Widely considered to be one of the greatest and biggest name in dance.Mikhail began his ballet studies in his native homeland Russia at the age of 15. Despite his advanced age, he was already quite athletic as a child - he played rugby, swimming, running and soccer. His mother was a ballet fan and decided to enroll Misha (his childhood nickname) and he quickly made up for lost time. The instructor teaching there was none other than the famed Alexander Pushkin who had tought famed Russian male dancer Rudolf Nureyev - who was already making a named for himself in America. Soon, tragically, his mother died. Misha was devastated and quickly threw himself into ballet head-first. He made friends at the school like Alexander Godunov (whom he called Sascha) and "ballerina assoluta" Natalya Makarova.Misha joined the Kirov Ballet of Lenigrad (now St. Petersburg) and his technique and balletic abilities were so great, he skipped the corps and was immediately put in a soloist position.While Misha was doing quite well in Russia, even finding an audience fanbase, the government and dance seemed to be too limiting and frustrating for him. Like many other Russian dancers before him and after him, he would soon defect.When the Kirov was touring in Canada, Misha defected and then quickly became a member of the National Ballet of Canada. He joined the American Ballet Theatre later on and became one of theatre's most prized members. He and celebrated ballerina Gelsey Kirkland (of New York City Ballet - whom he met when touring in Russia and asked her to partner him) had a celebrated and legendary partnership. Gelsey even had left NYCB to dance with him.Kirkland claimed she had seen him dance in person at the Kirov Ballet before he had defected. When she first saw him, his 5' 7" inch frame and adolescent personality and appearance seemed disappointing and disillusioning. But then he leapt onto the floor and she was blown away. He danced "like a literal moving picture". His grace, his lightness, his movement, his leaps... she made a judgment right there and then. "He was the greatest male dancer on the earth."She fell in love with him then and there. Or rather, his dancing. They had a legendary partnership together - almost two peas in the same pod, they were. They danced almost every piece together. But their most favorite work together is Baryshnikov's version of Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker" which was filmed in Canada and was televised, first by CBS, then later by PBS every year. It is believed to be the one of the best interpretations of the ballet ever made.Later that year, he also made his debut as a movie star with the film The Turning Point (1977). He played a tailor-made role as "Yuri", a ballet defector from Russia who's a superstar and beds with more ballerinas then he dances with. The movie was nominated for 11 Oscars, including one for Misha.Gelsey was also slated to co-star, but she wanted "no part of Hollywood". The relationship between the Russian defector and American ballerina seemed based on their own relationship. She hated the character, the script by Arthur Laurents (which she called "a soap opera"). She claimed the movie had "nothing to do with either the art or the reality of ballet". She made herself very sick so she had an excuse to bow out. She was quickly replaced with Leslie Browne, another fresh ballerina out of ABT.Kirkland was as much a great ballerina as she was a disturbed person. She was extremely difficult. She became possessive and violent. She idolized Misha and held him up on a pedestal. She obsessed over every detail. He tried to please her but there was just no doing it. Eventually, they broke up.Misha had idolized George Balanchine, the great choreographer and ballet master of the early 20th century. Balanchine (or Mr. B) as he liked to be called, was an innovator of modern ballet. The steps, the look, the tone, the feel to it all. He had turned ballet into something between an art, an Olympic sport and an acrobatic endeavor. Misha idolized him and what he did and left the ABT briefly for the chance to work under him and learn his choreography.Misha stayed there for a few years and learned under Balanchine's wing. Balanchine disliked Russian dance defectors like Makarova, Nureyev, Godunov and Misha because they seemed to "jepordize his Russian monopoly on American ballet". While Balanchine dismissed such dancers Makarova and Nureyev (despite choreographing for them himself), he had to admit: "Misha is a great dancer. He has good feet".Misha danced "The Prodigal Son" with NYCB under Balanchine's dictation (as well as many other pieces) and continued with NYCB until Balanchine's eventual death. After the timely passing, NYCB Balanchine disciple Peter Martins took over at the helm and Misha returned to ABT.He was put at the position of Artistic Director (as well as back to principal dancer). Along with Charles France, a man who has done as much for ballet as humanly possible without actually dancing it, it was a new era for ABT.Tragically, Misha (like Makarova) suffered a knee injury and eventually had to quit ballet.Eventually, he stepped down and co-founded the White Oak Dance Project with many other dancers. Many in their 40s and 50s - all run under no director, but as a democracy. Baryshnikov says that he is in great physical condition, but one day he will step down from dancing completely.He is currently married to Lisa Rinehart.
Ballet dancer turned actorFather of four children. He lives with girlfriend Lisa Rinehart.Following his defection in Canada, the first ballet troupe that he performed with was the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Company in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.Mikhail was a 2000 recipient of the John F. Kennedy Center Honors.Children by Lisa Rinehart: Peter Andrew (born 1989), Anna Katerina (born May 22nd 1992) and Sofia-Luisa (born May 24th 1994).Has his own clothing line: "Baryshnikov", plus his own perfume brand: "Misha".Danced with the Bolshoi Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet.Was artistic director with ABT and even ran his own class outside of ABT - Mikhail Baryshnikov's School of Classic Ballet.Was romantically involved with legendary ballerinas Natalya Makarova and Gelsey Kirkland.Frequently attended legendary New York disco Studio 54.Was nominated for Broadway's 1989 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for "Metamorphosis."When he met Jessica Lange, he spoke little English. Fortunately for him, Lange spoke French, which he could speak fluently.Daughter Shura (Alexandra) Baryshnikov, whose mother is Jessica Lange, graduated from Marlboro College in Vermont, the same college that Chris Noth attended in the 70s. [2003]He had a romantic relationship with fellow Soviet defector and prima ballerina absoluta Natasha Makarova. She was eight years his senior. She ended it because of this fact and when she needed him back as a sympathetic shoulder to cry on, Baryshnikov was already involved with another young ballerina named Gelsey Kirkland.His name in English means "Michael."He was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts in 2000 by the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington D.C.He appeared in three of the ballet programs which were Emmy-nominated for "Outstanding Classical Program in the Performing Arts" in the same year - "Giselle", "American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House", and "The Nutcracker". "Giselle" was the one that took home the Emmy, but "The Nutcracker" remains the one that has most often been shown and is consistently the most popular. The other two have not even been released on video or DVD, due to a royalties dispute about all "Live From Lincoln Center" programs.His and Jessica Lange's daughter is Alexandra (born 1981).Hobby is golf.Owner of ballet troupe, "White Oak Dance Project".Taught by ballet instructor Bella Kovarsky when he was a child.
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Mikhail Baryshnikov
Date of Birth: |
28 January 1948
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Biography: |
Boyishly cute, diminutive and strong as a bull, but as graceful as any gazelle or swan, Mi...more
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Trivia: |
Ballet dancer turned actorFather of four children. He lives with girlfriend Lisa Rinehart....more
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Awards: |
Nominated for Oscar.
Another
5 wins
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6 nominations
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