Nureyev, << nu RAY yuhf, >> Rudolf (1938-1993), was one of the great ballet dancers of the 1900’s. He became known for his exciting stage personality and his strong, expressive dance technique. Nureyev danced more than 100 roles. In 1962, he began a partnership with the famous English ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn. Nureyev and Fonteyn performed together in such ballets as Giselle, Swan Lake, and Les Sylphides. As a choreographer (creator of dances), Nureyev created versions of such ballets as Don Quixote and The Nutcracker.
Nureyev was born on March 17, 1938, near Irkutsk, in Russia. He joined the Kirov Ballet (now the Mariinsky Ballet) in 1958 and soon became its principal dancer. In 1961, Nureyev defected to the West while the Kirov Ballet was performing in Paris. He then danced with ballet and modern dance companies throughout the Western world and appeared in several dance films. He was director of the Paris Opera Ballet from 1983 until 1989. He died on Jan. 6, 1993.
See also Ballet (Ballet in Russia).
