Emboldening classical ballet, the Dance Theater of Harlem takes up the old and gives it an articulate, contemporary spin. The group sharpens the edge of the familiar with a bit of bombast, but always with impeccable classical precision. Arthur Mitchell founded the DTH in 1969, inspired to create

Classical, Clean, Composed, Dramatic, Innovations since balanchine, Pioneering

Although too erratic in technique to earn the distinction of virtuoso, Rudolf Nureyev still took a place among the most brilliant dancers in history. His flamboyance and charisma garnered him a truly massive audience; it's possible that his dancing has been seen by more people than that of any other

Bombast, Dramatic, Intense, Masculine, Mythic, Severe, Soviet ballet: the bolshoi and the kirov

Niece of larger-than-life movie director Cecil B. de Mille, Agnes had star quality of her own and talent to burn. Trained in England at the Ballet Rambert, de Mille returned to the United States to help form the American Ballet Theater, and served as both dancer and choreographer. Credited with intro

Ballet goes hollywood, Dramatic, Ebullient, Grand, Monumental, Sincere