Best of Rudolf Nureyev - The Greatest Male Ballet Dancer -

Today (3/17) is the birthday of legendary dancer Rudolf Nureyev.

Nureyev was born on a Trans-Siberian train near Irkutsk, Siberia, Soviet Union to a Bashkir-Tatar family. He began his early career with the company that in the Soviet era was called the Kirov Ballet (now called by its original name, the Mariinsky Ballet) in Leningrad. He defected from the Soviet Union to the West in 1961, despite KGB efforts to stop him. This was the first defection of a Soviet artist during the Cold War, and it created an international sensation. He went on to dance with The Royal Ballet in London and from 1983 to 1989 served as director of the Paris Opera Ballet. In addition to his technical prowess, Nureyev was an accomplished choreographer serving as the chief choreographer of the Paris Opera Ballet. He produced his own interpretations of numerous classical works, including Swan Lake, Giselle, and La Bayadère.

This video includes:

00:00 Le Corsaire (Ali)
01:06 Don Quixote (Basilio)
02:04 The Sleeping Beauty (Prince Florimund)
03:16 La Sylphide (James)
04:00 Apollo
06:04 The Nutcracker (Prince)
06:55 Giselle (Count Albrecht)
07:47 Gayane
09:13 Laurencia (Frondoso)
09:55 Le Jeune Homme et la Mort
13:27 Pierrot Lunaire
14:56 Romeo and Juliet (Romeo)
15:59 Raymonda (Jean de Brienne)
17:11 Les Sylphides
18:47 Le Spectre de la rose
20:01 Afternoon of a Faun
22:21 Swan Lake (Prince Siegfried)

[chayanoko]

My dad was manager at the Paris Opera when Nureyev was director. My step mother was a ballerina and Nureyev loved her and my dad. My dad was always bringing me with him at the Opera. It was my second home. Nureyev was so impressive when he was giving classes. Just to be next to him you could feel his immense charisma. What a blessing for me to grow amongst him and some other incredible dancers of that period.

[WilsonWatt-qe]

I was fortunate enough to have been in London when he was dancing Marguerite and Armand with Fonteyn at Covent Garden. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my 77 years of life.

[CTBeachWalker]

The performance with the chair is surreal - mesmerizing. Like he's not of this earth.

[lucyosborne]

I was lucky enough to see Fonteyn and Nureyev dance Swan Lake at The Met when I was much younger. I danced for many years until my left leg was crushed under the back wheel of a truck, but the habits and the way we, as dancers, move last a lifetime. Even now, when I sit, my feet are turned out, and sometimes one of them thinks it's back en pointe. I have danced since the crash crunch left leg thing, though never again in toe shoes. I moved into the folk world and it was a joy, but once having danced on stage in costume as a ballerina, the rest pales. Nureyev is one of the reasons ballet has a magic to it that no other dance tradition can boast. I think it's because of the insane discipline and time it takes to become someone like Nureyev or Baryshnikov, or Zakharova or Bolle or Fonteyn. The nuances, the acting, the joy of movement when the world recedes, your feet are no longer there and the dance is the only thing, lifting the soul up and taking flight, that's ballet.

[shellih]

I saw him give a rare performance on opening night of the Paris Ballet in Los Angeles in 1986 or 1987. He was the Director and gave us opening nighters a rare treat. He was so gracious and appreciative of the standing ovation. I was in the 4th row and will never forget the look on his beautiful face.

[shadow_hillsgrandma]

As a child I was in the orchestra pit ( with my dad) and saw the sweat dripping over his make up. I'll never forget!💕

[janeb]

Rudolph Nureyev danced with me for about 3 whole minutes :) back in 1977 when he came to Perth. He came to a nightclub called Connections, and the music was disco. Memory of which song it was is fading, but I think a Donna Summer one. It was a special moment for me as he circulated and picked a few people to dance with.

[tobyihli]

While watching him, I caught myself literally holding my breath. I wonder, is that where the term, “breathtaking, ” comes from? I mean, just look at him!

[jeannedouglas]

Artistic genius for the sake of art is so wonderful. No politics. Just creative genius expressing human potential.

[victorvalle]

I danced with him and the Boston Ballet. Extravagant fascinating character.

[stevebutler]

When I was in college (I'm a guy) I wanted to get closer to those lovely ballet dancers I saw moving so elegantly, with such upright posture.
But, as a dude who is a life-long soccer player, and hard-rock music fan, with zero musical ability, including dancing, I was very, extremely intimidated.
But, those amazing ballet bodies that I saw when they left the gym door open and the way those ladies moved.... ohmygod.
So, I finally took a Intro to Ballet class. The ladies were so kind. And, as a soccer player; climber; cyclist; down-hill and snow skier; nothing was as hard as ballet: nothing. Ok, Hangliding.

[jenniferbarrett]

I took my son to see Nureyev dance "The Nut Cracker " at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. My young son was thrilled with the experience. It was Nureyev's amazing performance that sold him on ballet. One of a kind, Nureyev lives on in the hearts of those who saw him dance. Thank you for this wonderful video. ❤

[carolynellis]

I saw him in London in Prokovief Romeo and Juilet
He was over 40 then but he was still graceful and danced lyrically.
He finished dancing shortly after
I'll never forget him and was so pleased to have seen him.

[レオのまま]

映画「バレンチノ」も何度も映画館に観に行って痺れました。
病気で寿命を縮めたのが本当に残念です。

[cattycorner]

The Afternoon of a Faun! That's Nijinsky's choreography! I never thought I would see it danced! I did not realize that Nureyev had done it as well. It is fitting that he did. Thank you for posting this. I am in tears.

[Donna]

I saw him dance in the 80’s in London. His presence filled the theatre like magic.

[nrw]

The male body doesn’t get much more beautiful, athletic, or graceful than Mr. Nureyev’s at his peak.

[Livinglife]

I was lucky enough to see him dance live also. I was about 15 and saw him at the convent garden opera house. I was mesmerized. After he sat in the ticket booth and people lined up to get his autograph. When it was my turn I politely and timidly asked him for his autograph. He smiled at me and scribbled on on my entrance ticket. To this day I don’t know why he smiled at me. Probably because I looked so scared. Or maybe because I didn’t just shove my price of paper at him.

[annettewatt]

Nureyev -a powerful, magical presence that went beyond the beauty of the dance. We will never know another like him . Annette

[truecynic]

Such grace AND talent! Noticeable is his incredible physical control. Each move is precise and deliberate and not once is he off balance in any way. His posture and carriage are unequalled by any other ballet dancer, female or male