Mikhail Baryshnikov Overview

In the '70s and early '80s, ballet in America became, fleetingly, a pinnacle of popularized glamor. The blinding star of this bright moment was Mikhail Baryshnikov, known even to philistines as the charismatic Misha. He swiftly became the saving grace of... [more]

In the '70s and early '80s, ballet in America became, fleetingly, a pinnacle of popularized glamor. The blinding star of this bright moment was Mikhail Baryshnikov, known even to philistines as the charismatic Misha. He swiftly became the saving grace of ballet's lagging box office after critic Clive Barnes, during a 1967 trip to view the Kirov Ballet, described Baryshnikov as "the most perfect dancer I have ever seen". Indeed, Baryshnikov's technique bordered outrageously on perfection: with his short, muscular physique he could bound to Olympian heights and toss off pirouettes with upwards of 15 revolutions without missing a beat. Upon his defection from the Soviet Union in 1972, Baryshnikov proceeded posthaste to conquer the U.S.'s two major companies, the New York City Ballet and the American Ballet Theater. He showcased chameleon-like stylistic abilities in works by everyone from George Balanchine to Twyla Tharp. But it was his sensual, almost cocky persona as much as his flawless execution that led ballet to its 15 minutes of fame. His work in films such as "The Turning Point" and "White Nights" lured new, entirely uninitiated audiences to ballet. The art form was imbued -- at least in the public's eyes -- with all the splash and intrigue of Hollywood. However, Baryshnikov has worked to further his career past that of matinée idol. He even tried his hand, with debatable success, at leading the American Ballet Theater as its artistic director from 1980 to 1989. More recently he put his star power to work for a much different branch of dance: modern. The White Oak Dance Project, a vanity company designed to give the aging Baryshnikov artistically challenging but less physically crushing material, has brought undreamed-of attention to the works of both modern dance legends and young choreographic experimenters. [show less]