Mikhail Baryshnikov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mikhail Baryshnikov
Михаил Барышников
Baryshnikov in 2017
Born	Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov (1948-01-27) January 27, 1948 (age 77) Riga, Latvian SSR, Soviet Union
Citizenship	Soviet Union (1948–1986) United States (1986–present) Latvia (2017–present)
Occupation	Dancer choreographer actor
Years active	1968–present
Spouse(s)	Lisa Rinehart ​ (m. 2006)​
Partner(s)	Jessica Lange (1976–82)
Children	4, including Shura and Anna

Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov (Russian: Михаил Николаевич Барышников, IPA: [mʲɪxɐˈil bɐ'rɨʂnʲɪkəf]; Latvian: Mihails Barišņikovs; born January 27, 1948) is a famous dancer, choreographer, and actor. He is from Latvia and the United States. He was one of the best male classical ballet dancers in the 1970s and 1980s. Later, he became a well-known director for dance companies.

Baryshnikov was born in Riga, which was then part of the Soviet Union. He started his dance career with the Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg. In 1974, he moved to Canada to find more chances in Western dance. He danced with the American Ballet Theatre and then joined the New York City Ballet. He wanted to learn about George Balanchine's special style of dance.

After that, he went back to the American Ballet Theatre. He later became its artistic director. Baryshnikov has started many of his own dance projects. He is especially known for helping to promote modern dance. He has performed in many new dance pieces, including some he created himself.

He has also been successful as an actor in plays, movies, and TV shows. This has made him one of the most recognized ballet dancers today. After leaving the Soviet Union in 1974, he never went back. He became a US citizen in 1986. In 2017, Latvia also gave him citizenship because of his great achievements.

In 1977, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the movie The Turning Point. He also starred in the movie White Nights in 1985. Later, he had a role in the TV series Sex and the City.

Early Life

Mikhail Baryshnikov was born in Riga, Latvia. At that time, Latvia was part of the Soviet Union. His parents were Russian. His mother, Alexandra, was a dressmaker. His father, Nikolay, was an engineer.

Baryshnikov said his father was a strict military man. But his mother showed him the world of theater, opera, and ballet.

Dancing Career

Early Years (1960–1974)

Baryshnikov began studying ballet in Riga in 1960. He was 12 years old. In 1964, he joined the Vaganova School in Saint Petersburg. He quickly won a top prize in a junior ballet competition.

In 1967, he joined the Mariinsky Ballet, then called the Kirov Ballet. He danced a famous part in Giselle. Many Soviet choreographers saw his talent. They created new ballets for him. A critic from The New York Times called him "the most perfect dancer I have ever seen."

Moving to Canada (1974)

Baryshnikov was very talented from a young age. But he was shorter than most male ballet dancers. This meant he often got secondary roles. He also felt frustrated that Soviet dance stuck to old traditions. They did not use new Western dance styles. His main reason for leaving the Soviet Union was to work with new choreographers.

On June 29, 1974, Baryshnikov was on tour in Toronto, Canada. He was with the Bolshoi Ballet. He decided to stay in Canada and asked for political asylum. A ballet critic from Toronto helped him escape. Baryshnikov joined the National Ballet of Canada for a short time. He then announced he would not return to the Soviet Union.

He later said a friend helped him plan his move during a 1970 tour in London. His first TV performance after this was in La Sylphide. He then moved to the United States. In his first two years after leaving, he danced for many different choreographers. He told a critic, "The new experience gives me a lot."

Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre (1974–1978)

From 1974 to 1978, Baryshnikov was a main dancer with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). He often danced with Gelsey Kirkland.

Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet (1978–1979)

Baryshnikov and Patricia McBride at an event in Buenos Aires, 1979.

In 1978, Baryshnikov decided to join the New York City Ballet. He stayed there for 18 months as a main dancer. This company was run by George Balanchine. Balanchine rarely invited guest dancers. Baryshnikov's choice to focus on this company surprised the dance world.

Balanchine did not create new ballets for Baryshnikov. But he taught him his unique style. Baryshnikov performed well in famous roles like Apollo and The Prodigal Son. Another choreographer, Jerome Robbins, created Opus 19/The Dreamer for him.

Baryshnikov's last performance with New York City Ballet was in October 1979. He had to take time off due to injuries. He left the company to become the artistic director of ABT in September 1980.

Artistic Director and White Oak Dance Project (1980–2002)

Baryshnikov returned to the American Ballet Theatre in September 1980. He was the artistic director until 1989. He also continued to perform as a dancer. He always wanted to try new things. He said, "The technique is about transparency, simplicity."

From 1990 to 2002, Baryshnikov led the White Oak Dance Project. This was a touring company he started with Mark Morris. The project aimed to create new dance works for older dancers. In 1999, he was chosen as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2000, he received the National Medal of Arts.

Baryshnikov Arts Center and Awards (2002–Present)

In 2003, Baryshnikov won the Prix Benois de la Danse. This is a top award for lifetime achievement in dance. In 2005, he opened the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York. This center helps artists create new works.

He has received several honorary degrees from universities. In 2012, he won the Vilcek Prize in Dance. Baryshnikov has performed in Israel three times. He has spoken against artistic boycotts of Israel. He praised the modern dance scene there.

Film, Television, and Theater

With Liza Minnelli in Baryshnikov on Broadway, 1980

Baryshnikov first danced on American TV in 1976. It was on a PBS show called In Performance Live from Wolf Trap.

In 1977, CBS showed his ABT production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. Baryshnikov played the main role. This version was nominated for an Emmy Award. He also appeared in other Emmy-winning TV specials. He danced to music from Broadway and Hollywood.

Baryshnikov acted in his first film soon after moving to New York. He starred with Gregory Hines in the 1985 film White Nights. He was also in the 1987 film Dancers. On TV, he played a Russian artist named Aleksandr Petrovsky in the last season of Sex and the City. He also co-starred in Company Business (1991).

An animated TV series called Mikhail Baryshnikov's Stories from My Childhood aired from 1996 to 1998. Baryshnikov hosted the show. He presented his favorite folktales, like Beauty and the Beast.

In 2006, Baryshnikov was featured on the Sundance Channel's show Iconoclasts. He talked about his life and art with chef Alice Waters. In 2014, he appeared in the film Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. In 2015, he was in a commercial for a clothing brand.

On Stage as an Actor

Baryshnikov has also performed in modern and experimental plays. His first big role on Broadway was in 1989. He played Gregor Samsa in Metamorphosis. This role earned him a Tony nomination.

In 2012, he starred in a new play called In Paris. In 2015, he performed a reading of poet Joseph Brodsky's work in Riga. This show, called "Brodsky/Baryshnikov," toured internationally. Baryshnikov and Brodsky were friends until Brodsky's death in 1996.

Personal Life

Baryshnikov receiving his Latvian citizenship passport on April 27, 2017.

Baryshnikov has a daughter, Aleksandra "Shura" Baryshnikova, born in 1981. Her mother is actress Jessica Lange. When Baryshnikov and Lange first met, he spoke little English. They talked in French. He learned English by watching TV.

Baryshnikov has been with former ballerina Lisa Rinehart for a long time. They have three children together. He once said he did not "believe in marriage in the conventional way." But he and Rinehart married in 2006.

Citizenship

On July 3, 1986, Baryshnikov became a citizen of the United States. He said he felt like a "man of the world." He loves Europe, but if he had to choose, he would pick New York.

On April 27, 2017, Latvia gave Baryshnikov citizenship. He had asked for it in December 2016. He wrote that his first 16 years in Latvia shaped his life. He said Riga is still a place where he finds artistic ideas.

True Russia Foundation

In March 2022, Baryshnikov helped start the True Russia foundation. He did this with economist Sergey Guriyev and writer Boris Akunin. The foundation helps people affected by the war in Ukraine.

Baryshnikov spoke out against the Russian invasion. He wrote an open letter to Vladimir Putin. He said that people who promote Russian art do more for Russia than Putin's "not-so-precise weapons." True Russia also wants to be a platform for art in three languages. By the end of March, the group had raised over 1.2 million euros.

Awards

Baryshnikov wearing the Kennedy Center Honors, 2000

• 1966 Varna International Ballet Competition (gold medal)
• 1969 Moscow International Ballet Competition (gold medal)
• 1969 Nijinsky Prize
• 1977 Academy Award nomination for The Turning Point
• 1977 Golden Globe nomination for The Turning Point
• 1978 Award from Dance magazine
• 1979 D.F.A. from Yale University
• 1987 Man of the Year from the Hasty Pudding Theatricals
• 2000 Kennedy Center Honor
• 2004 Jerome Robbins Prize
• 2005 National Arts Award
• 2006 George and Judy Marcus Prize for Lifetime Achievement
• 2006 Honorary degree from New York University
• Inaugural class of winner of the Great Immigrants Award
• 2007 Honorary degree from Shenandoah University Conservatory
• 2008 Honorary degree from Montclair State University
• 2019 Honorary degree from University of Southern California
• 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award

Filmography

Film Appearances

Film Choreographer

Television Appearances

Images for kids

• 

  Baryshnikov receiving his Latvian citizenship passport on April 27, 2017.