Natalia Romanovna Makarova (Russian: Ð Ð°Ñ‚Ð°Ì Ð»Ð¸Ñ Ð
Ð¾Ð¼Ð°Ì Ð½Ð¾Ð²Ð½Ð° ÐœÐ°ÐºÐ°Ì Ñ€Ð¾Ð²Ð°, born 21 November 1940) is a
Soviet-Russian-born prima ballerina and choreographer. The History of
Dance, published in 1981, notes that "her performances set standards
of artistry and aristocracy of dance which mark her as the finest
ballerina of her generation in the West."Makarova was born in
Leningrad in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic of the
USSR. At the age of 12, she auditioned for the Leningrad Choreographic
School (formerly the Imperial Ballet School), and was accepted
although most students join the school at the age of 9.Makarova was a
permanent member of the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad from 1956 to 1970,
achieving prima ballerina status during the 1960s. She defected to the
West on September 4, 1970, while on tour with the Kirov in London.
Soon after defecting, Makarova began performing with the American
Ballet Theatre in New York City and the Royal Ballet in London.When
she first arrived in the West, Makarova was eager to expand her
choreography by dancing ballets by modern choreographers. At the same
time, she remained most identified with classical roles such as
Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and Giselle. In December 1975, she and her
dance partner Mikhail Baryshnikov featured prominently in an episode
of the BBC television series Arena. She was featured in the 1976 live
American Ballet Theatre production of Swan Lake, simulcast from
Lincoln Center on both PBS and NPR. When ABT artistic director Lucia
Chase stepped down, both Makarova and Baryshnikov applied. After the
company went with Baryshnikov, she left for the Royal Ballet of
London.
Ð¾Ð¼Ð°Ì Ð½Ð¾Ð²Ð½Ð° ÐœÐ°ÐºÐ°Ì Ñ€Ð¾Ð²Ð°, born 21 November 1940) is a
Soviet-Russian-born prima ballerina and choreographer. The History of
Dance, published in 1981, notes that "her performances set standards
of artistry and aristocracy of dance which mark her as the finest
ballerina of her generation in the West."Makarova was born in
Leningrad in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic of the
USSR. At the age of 12, she auditioned for the Leningrad Choreographic
School (formerly the Imperial Ballet School), and was accepted
although most students join the school at the age of 9.Makarova was a
permanent member of the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad from 1956 to 1970,
achieving prima ballerina status during the 1960s. She defected to the
West on September 4, 1970, while on tour with the Kirov in London.
Soon after defecting, Makarova began performing with the American
Ballet Theatre in New York City and the Royal Ballet in London.When
she first arrived in the West, Makarova was eager to expand her
choreography by dancing ballets by modern choreographers. At the same
time, she remained most identified with classical roles such as
Odette/Odile in Swan Lake and Giselle. In December 1975, she and her
dance partner Mikhail Baryshnikov featured prominently in an episode
of the BBC television series Arena. She was featured in the 1976 live
American Ballet Theatre production of Swan Lake, simulcast from
Lincoln Center on both PBS and NPR. When ABT artistic director Lucia
Chase stepped down, both Makarova and Baryshnikov applied. After the
company went with Baryshnikov, she left for the Royal Ballet of
London.
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