Mikhail Baryshnikov

Mikhail Baryshnikov is a Soviet-born American ballet dancer, choreographer, and actor, known for his virtuosity, expressive performances, and influential career across ballet and modern dance.

Alexander Pushkin (ballet teacher): Alexander Pushkin was a Soviet ballet teacher whose students included Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev. Pushkin trained Baryshnikov at the Vaganova Academy in Leningrad.
Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet: The Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet is a Saint Petersburg school specializing in classical ballet training. Baryshnikov studied there before joining the Kirov Ballet.
Don Quixote (ballet): Don Quixote is a ballet based on episodes from Miguel de Cervantes's novel, with music by Ludwig Minkus. Baryshnikov's athletic Basilio became a signature role, notably in a 1983 film version.
Cold War: The Cold War was the geopolitical rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1991. Baryshnikov's defection became a prominent cultural event within the superpower rivalry.
George Balanchine: George Balanchine was a choreographer who helped establish neoclassical ballet in the United States. Balanchine created roles for Baryshnikov after he joined New York City Ballet.
Kirov Ballet: The Kirov Ballet is the historic name of the ballet company now known as the Mariinsky Ballet. Baryshnikov became a leading dancer with the Kirov before leaving the Soviet Union.
The Nutcracker (ballet): The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. Baryshnikov staged and performed in a widely broadcast 1977 production.
Soviet defectors: Soviet defectors were people who left the Soviet Union without permission to settle elsewhere. His high-profile departure connected his career to a wider history of artistic defection.
Jerome Robbins: Jerome Robbins was an American choreographer and theater director whose work spanned ballet and Broadway. Robbins choreographed dances for Baryshnikov, including roles at American Ballet Theatre.
Defection: Defection is the abandonment of one's country or allegiance, especially to settle in another country. His 1974 departure from the Soviet Union made Western performance and career choices possible.

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