Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland - 'Don Quixote' PDD (1976)

[tlipke]

She was so heartbreakingly thin. I’m glad she recovered and was strong enough to tell her story.

[mtfulfilled]

Gelsey had a musicality that may never be equaled. Her timing is precise, and she absolute personifies and becomes part of the music. Just beautiful!

[michelleduquette]

As a former anorexic, I can tell you that anorexia is hell on Earth!!
I was horribly weakened, and as I watch Miss Kirkland, there's no way that I can understand how she could dance her role as well as she did!!!!

[davidherriott]

It is so nice to see beauty and strength on stage. Misha and Gelsey performed this for the very first time with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet while I was dancing with the company, not long after he defected. His English was not great, but he took class with us and of course danced beautifully. He did know the English word "again" and the last turn at the end of the adagio section he made Gelsey do "again" and "again". It worked every time in the performances and we were pleased to watch them both dance so well in Winnipeg.

[johns.]

she matched him like no one else in form n elegance

[artwatch-yj]

Brilliant 💖, i saved this and kept coming back to watch it. People do not dance like this anymore.

[jillgooner]

shame she was so unwell but my god she still pulled it off even though she was so thin. tragic.

[mariteix]

Despite her serious problems, Gelsey still manages to show that she was a great dancer. And Baryshnikov, of course, perfect and charming as ever! He is the best!

[Brembelia]

I'm so grateful for recordings. Without them, most of us would never get to experience the greatest talents among us. This is the first time I am getting to see Misha and Gelsey dance Balanchine's "Don Quixote". As to be expected, it's a real treat. 😃

[poly_hexamethyl]

9:48 Those jumps just blow me away. What are they called? He floats like there's no such thing as gravity. Incredible! The amazing brute strength there is in that, and yet so graceful and effortless too.

[susanpaul]

Saw this live...from WAY back in the audience, and up high....SO MUCH BETTER this way...really. Misha took the NYC dance world by storm..I remember the first time I saw him dance at Lincoln Center. It seemed he did the impossible both with his elevation in jumps and his extraordinary turns. Bravo !

[italianpixie]

Saw this live at the time, and thought they were the best thing I'd ever seen. Now after many years and new eyes, I can see the ravages of addiction and anorexia in a new light, and it's more obvious to me now...yet they were spectacular together and I loved them both so much. He is unbelievable, and she a little fairy, so cute and so committed to excellence

[anafelippe]

This is the MOST perfect thing that I've ever seen. A truly masterpiece. They are legends.

[karencaring]

I remembered when he defected to Canada. It was such a tense but exciting time. Thank you Canada! 🇨🇦

[diegomoreno]

Damn, it's like zeus himself is carrying her up by the waist as she jumps. It seems effortless. So nimble, yet concise. Such mastery.

[kathycahill]

She is fierce! She matched him so well in this piece. Sorry that she was suffering so much with anorexia and addiction.

[beverlykelly]

Goosepimples, tears - so beautiful ! What an amazing gift to enjoy Thanks for this awesome treat

[МаринаМялицына-зя]

Брависсимо!!! Волшебный мир балета- это бесконечное наслаждение созерцания идеальными движениями танцоров.
Благодарю за доставленное удовольствие!

[suzannederringer]

They were perfection - individually and together. I don't remember seeing ths in person at the time...I was a young soprano, a couple of months older than Misha, and ballet was part of my life but not the main focus. So my memories of particular performances are fuzzy. Grateful for these videos! Thanks!

[Adara]

Absolutely breathtaking! Thank you for uploading this. They are both so brilliant. It's actually amazing that Gelsey was able to dance to this level considering the seriousness of the ED at this time in her life. Thank goodness she recovered and has gone on to inspire and train new generations of dancers while focusing on instilling healthy habits and body image.