Maya Plisetskaya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maya Plisetskaya
Майя Плисецкая |
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Plisetskaya in 2011
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Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya
20 November 1925 |
| Died | 2 May 2015 (aged 89) Munich, Germany
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| Awards | Full cavalier of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" |
| Former groups | Bolshoi Ballet |
| Dances | Ballet, modern |
Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya (Russian: Майя Михайловна Плисецкая; born November 20, 1925 – died May 2, 2015) was a famous Soviet and Russian ballet dancer. She was also a choreographer, ballet director, and actress. She danced for many years at the Bolshoi Theatre in the Soviet Union.
In 1960, she became the prima ballerina assoluta of the Bolshoi Ballet. This means she was considered the very best ballerina in the company. Maya Plisetskaya was known for her amazing talent and strong stage presence. She changed the world of ballet with her unique style.
Her early life was difficult due to political events. Her father was arrested in 1937 and died in 1938. Her mother was also arrested and spent time in a labor camp. Maya and her siblings were cared for by relatives. Her aunt, Sulamith Messerer, who was also a famous ballerina, adopted Maya.
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Becoming a Ballet Star
Maya Plisetskaya started studying ballet at the Bolshoi Ballet School when she was nine. She first performed at the Bolshoi Theatre at age eleven. She learned from great teachers, including her aunt Sulamith Messerer.
In 1943, at eighteen, she joined the Bolshoi Ballet company. She quickly became a leading solo dancer. She was known for her powerful jumps and flexible back. Her bright red hair and striking looks made her stand out.
Challenges and Triumphs
Even though she was very talented, Maya faced challenges. Because of her family's history and being Jewish, she was not allowed to tour outside the Soviet Union for many years. This was during a time called the Cold War. The Soviet Union wanted to show off its achievements, and ballet was a big part of that.
Eventually, in 1959, the travel ban was lifted. The Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, personally helped her. He believed she was "not only the best ballerina in the Soviet Union, but the best in the world."
Once she could travel, Plisetskaya became a global superstar. She set new standards for ballerinas with her amazing technique and dramatic performances. Many other dancers from the Soviet Union left the country during this time. But Maya Plisetskaya always chose to return to Russia. She felt it was important to stay loyal to her home country.
Her Unique Dance Style
Maya Plisetskaya had a very special and strong dance style. She loved trying new roles and dance styles. She was always experimenting on stage.
She was known for her high jumps and incredibly flexible back. Her dancing was technically strong and full of energy. She was great at both slow, graceful movements (adagio) and fast, energetic ones (allegro). This is very rare for dancers.
Famous Performances
Plisetskaya created many important roles in ballets. These included Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Phrygia in Spartacus. She also starred in The Sleeping Beauty.
One of her most famous roles was Carmen in the Carmen Suite. This ballet was created just for her in 1967. Her husband, Rodion Shchedrin, wrote the music for it. Her powerful performance of Carmen made her a legend.
Her performances in Swan Lake as Odette-Odile were also very famous. She danced this role for twenty years. Another signature role was The Dying Swan. She performed this short, emotional piece even into her late 60s. Audiences loved her so much that they often demanded an encore.
Fashion designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin were inspired by her. Cardin designed many costumes for her ballets, including Anna Karenina.
Beyond Dancing
After Galina Ulanova retired in 1960, Maya Plisetskaya became the main ballerina of the Bolshoi Theatre. She also tried her hand at choreography, which means creating dances. Her first ballet as a choreographer was Anna Karenina in 1971.
She also appeared in films. She starred in the 1961 film The Humpbacked Horse. She also acted in the Soviet movie version of Anna Karenina in 1968.
In the 1980s, she worked as an artistic director for ballet companies in Rome and Spain. She retired as a solo dancer from the Bolshoi in 1990, at age 65. Even after retiring, she continued to perform. On her 70th birthday, she debuted in a new piece created for her called "Ave Maya."
She also led international ballet competitions called Maya. In 1996, she became the President of the Imperial Russian Ballet.
Personal Connections
Maya Plisetskaya made friends with many famous people around the world. She was friends with composer Leonard Bernstein and pianist Arthur Rubinstein. Novelist John Steinbeck was interested in her life story.
She met Jacqueline Kennedy, the First Lady of the United States, who told her she was "just like Anna Karenina." She also became friends with the artist Marc Chagall. He even used her dance poses in a mural for the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.
She was also friends with U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. They shared the same birthday. Their friendship helped improve relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during a tense time.
Awards and Honors
Maya Plisetskaya received many awards and honors for her amazing career.
Awards in Russia and the Soviet Union
- Order of Merit for the Fatherland (different classes, 1995-2010)
- Hero of Socialist Labour (1985)
- Three Orders of Lenin (1967, 1976, 1985)
- Lenin Prize (1964)
- People's Artist of USSR (1959)
International Awards
- Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters (France, 1984)
- Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain)
- Gold Medal of Gloria Artis (Poland, 2008)
- Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class (Japan, 2011)
- Officer of the Légion d'honneur (France, 2012)
- Prince of Asturias Award (Spain, 2005)
- Imperial Prize of Japan (2006)
Her Legacy
Maya Plisetskaya passed away on May 2, 2015, in Munich, Germany. She was 89 years old.
Many people paid tribute to her. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that a "whole era of ballet was gone" with her. A large mural of her was painted in Moscow. A square in central Moscow near the Bolshoi Theatre was named in her honor. Many ballet companies performed concerts dedicated to her memory.
Maya Plisetskaya's incredible talent and passion for dance left a lasting mark on the world of ballet. She is remembered as one of the greatest ballerinas of all time.
Images for kids
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In Romeo and Juliet, 1961
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Performing in Don Quixote in 1974
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Plisetskaya receives a governmental award from President of Russia Vladimir Putin on 20 November 2000.
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Plisetskaya on a 2017 stamp of Russia
See also
In Spanish: Maya Plisétskaya para niños
- List of dancers
- List of Russian ballet dancers
