Ivan Nagy (dancer) facts for kids

Ivan Nagy (born April 28, 1943 – died February 22, 2014) was a famous ballet dancer from Hungary. He became one of the biggest stars of the American Ballet Theatre in the 1970s. People loved watching him dance with many famous ballerinas.

Early Life and Dance Training

Ivan Nagy was born in Debrecen, Hungary, on April 28, 1943. He started his dance training in Budapest. His teachers were influenced by the Soviet style of ballet. In 1965, he moved to the United States. Before that, he went to a big dance competition in Varna, Bulgaria. There, he won a silver medal for his amazing dancing.

Becoming a Ballet Star

Ivan Nagy met his wife, Marilyn Burr, who was also a ballerina from Australia. They met at the National Ballet. After dancing there for three years, Nagy joined the New York City Ballet for one season in 1968.

By July 1968, he moved to the American Ballet Theatre. This is where he became very well-known. He formed special dance partnerships with famous ballerinas like Natalia Makarova, Gelsey Kirkland, and Cynthia Gregory. He even toured and danced with the legendary Dame Margot Fonteyn.

Nagy retired from the American Ballet Theatre in 1978. He was 35 years old at the time. Natalia Makarova, one of his favorite partners, was sad to see him go. She said he was still dancing at his best and was quitting too soon.

Life After Dancing

After retiring from dancing, Ivan Nagy started a new career. He became an artistic director for ballet companies. From 1982 to 1986, he was the artistic director of the Ballet de Santiago in Chile.

He then led the Cincinnati/New Orleans Ballet from 1986 to 1989. From 1990 to 1993, he was the artistic director of the English National Ballet. Later, he returned to the Ballet de Santiago for several more years. In his final year, he worked as an artistic adviser for the Hungarian State Opera House Ballet.

Later Years and Passing

Ivan Nagy lived with his wife in Valldemossa, on the island of Mallorca. He sometimes visited and taught at Gelsey Kirkland's School of Classical Ballet.

Ivan Nagy passed away on February 22, 2014, while visiting a cousin in Budapest. He was 70 years old. He was survived by his wife, his two daughters, and a granddaughter.