Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov is a Soviet and American ballet dancer, choreographer, actor and photographer. He is better known to the wide domestic public as a "defector" who remained in Canada in 1974 when he arrived there on tour. He is the holder of the title "Honored Artist of the RSFSR", as well as a nominee for the "Oscar" and "Golden Globe" awards.
In 2017, a popular artist with a worldwide reputation received Latvian citizenship. Fans are interested in the current financial situation of the idol in order to understand his current relevance and justification for the once sensational act.
To understand the phenomenon of Mikhail Baryshnikov, you need to realize the full depth of the phrase "do not strive to dance better than others, but want to do it better than yourself." According to many experts, he left behind a great legacy and is the greatest ballet dancer of the 20th century. Despite immigration at the time of his creative heyday, he belongs to the world community precisely to the “chosen Russians”, which directly influenced the level of development of ballet at the planetary level.
In the first half of the 70s of the last century, Baryshnikov had already established himself as a young star of Russian ballet. And in 1974 he performed as part of a tour on the other side of the Atlantic, when he decided to stay there forever. The sensational event did not become erroneous for the "defector", as is often the case with our fellow citizens who emigrated to the West and clearly overestimated their talents. He did not have to experience any difficulties with the implementation in the field of professional activity. Moreover, he reached those heights of his development that could make him a world famous.
short biography
On January 27, 1948, the future idol of millions of fans of his talent was born in the family of a Soviet officer sent there in Riga. Due to his father's tough disposition, who was often even cruel in his treatment of his son and wife, Mikhail was more attached to his mother. It was she who instilled in the boy a love of culture and art. Together they often visited the local Philharmonic, where they enjoyed the performances of the artists.
At the age of 10, Mikhail had already consciously made a decision, according to which he signed up for an exam at a ballet school. And after that he continued his educational path at the Riga School of Choreography. But for a brilliant solo career, according to the teacher Helena Tangieva, he was hampered by too small growth. To overcome this obstacle, Baryshnikov began to regularly perform a specially designed set of physical exercises. The exercises were quite painful for the joints, but allowed to increase the height of the novice artist by 4 cm. Thus, this anthropometric parameter was 168 cm.
The biography of Mikhail Baryshnikov is filled with many tragic and difficult events for comprehension. At the age of 12, the mother took her son to his grandmother in the Volga region and, returning to Riga, committed suicide. And after his father remarried another woman, there was no place for the boy in his family. A few years later, he moved to the city on the Neva, and he completely stopped communicating with his parent, who became a stranger to him.
In 1964, during a tour of the Latvian National Opera in Leningrad, Mikhail was recruited several times to take part in theatrical performances. This contributed to the beginning of his creative development. One of the artists noted the outstanding abilities of the young man and took him to a choreographic school, after which he very quickly became a soloist of the legendary Mariinsky.
Personal life
It cannot be said that the decision to remain in emigration was very simple for Mikhail Baryshnikov in realizing his professional ambitions. At first, he very much yearned for his common-law wife Tatyana Koltsova, who was his colleague in the creative workshop. The language barrier also had an effect, making it difficult to feel like a full-fledged member of society.
However, the dedication and high level of professionalism could not affect positive changes in the life of a talented ballet dancer. In early 1976, he begins a romantic relationship with actress Jessica Lange, who soon gives birth to his daughter Alexandra. This spousal union, according to journalists, was very bright and was distinguished by frequent and stormy showdowns. On the one hand, the fortress of this family did not add to the regular betrayal of his wife, and on the other, the Soviet mentality of her husband, who loved to arrange noisy gatherings with guests at night and Russian cooking.
For the second time, the renowned balleron and choreographer married Lisa Reinhart, who also danced. These family relationships became the reason for the birth of a son Peter and daughters Anna and Sophia. Thus, Mikhail Baryshnikov has a total of four children from two marriages.
In general, the life of an eminent artist in America can be fully described as successful. After all, Joseph Brodsky, Princess Diana and Jacqueline Kennedy were included in his circle of friends at different times. And the economic aspect allows us to talk about sufficient well-being, even by Western standards. Mikhail Nikolaevich owns the famous restaurant of Russian cuisine "Samovar", which is located in the respectable center of New York.
In addition, he has a production facility that makes ballet equipment, as well as a line of personalized perfumes. At the same time, a talented and enterprising artist with Russian roots found himself in the art of photography. You can get acquainted with his thematic works in the A. S. Pushkin.
Mikhail Baryshnikov today
The name of Mikhail Baryshnikov has been in the spotlight of journalists for many years. So, at the end of 2016, information appeared in the press about some special grievances of the "defector" towards our country. Subsequently, it turned out that in this way the journalists once again tried to draw public attention to the history of almost half a century ago.
And in 2017, the famous dancer and choreographer was ranked among the hundred most influential Russians of the present century by Forbes magazine.
