Makarova, Natalia, << ma KAHR oh vah, nah TAL ee uh >> (1940-…), is a Russian-born ballerina , choreographer (dance creator), and actress. She became known for her superb classical ballet technique, grace, and charm. In 1983, Makarova won a Tony Award as best actress in a musical in her Broadway debut in a revival of On Your Toes (1936) by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart . Makarova has staged numerous ballets around the world, most notably the Russian classic La Bayadère (1877). In 1980, Makarova became the first person to stage a full-length production of that ballet outside of Russia, for the American Ballet Theatre. She also performed in that production.
Natalia Romanovna Makarova was born on Nov. 21, 1940, in Leningrad in the Soviet Union (now Saint Petersburg, Russia ). She studied ballet at the school now known as the Vaganova Ballet Academy before joining the Kirov Ballet (now the Mariinsky Ballet) in 1959. Makarova gained international notice for her performance in the title role of the Kirov’s production of Giselle, in 1961, when the company toured Europe and the United States. Makarova defected to the West in 1970 and soon joined the American Ballet Theatre in New York City. In 1972, she also began performing as a guest artist with many other companies, including the Royal Ballet in London, where she excelled in ballets by Kenneth MacMillan and Frederick Ashton . In 1980, she formed her own dance troupe, Makarova and Company, which performed for one season in New York. In 1990, Makarova became artistic adviser for the American Ballet Theatre.
After reuniting with the Kirov for several performances in the late 1980’s, Makarova focused on her acting career. In 1991, she performed in the comedy Tovarich at the Chichester Festival in West Sussex, England. In 1992, Makarova performed in the drama Two for the Seesaw in Moscow and St. Petersburg. She wrote a memoir, A Dance Autobiography (1979). She became a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2012.
See also Ballet (Ballet in Russia) .
