There are many male dancers, past and present, whose dancing I love and admire, but NOBODY will ever come close to Baryshnikov. The speed, the musicality, the elegance, the appropriate sense of style that many lack... It's absolutely insane how perfect his dancing was.
Baryshnikov's dancing is beautiful, powerful, stunning - all the adjectives that have rightly been used before - but what makes him different and, to me, fascinating is that he is thoughtful, and it shows. It feels as if I can see him joyfully thinking, and the vivacity and brilliance of his thought are made visible in his dance. I do not see this in any other dancer.
I thought Sergei Polunin, at the height of his ballet career, was the best ballet dancer. My mom told me: watch Barishnikov and get back to me if you still think this. This video shows why she's right a million times over. It's been over 40 years and his performance still blows everyone else's out of the water. He makes something that elite ballet dancers struggle with look effortless and easy. It's absolutely astounding. His performance will continue to hold up no matter how much time passes.
Disagree. I watched Baryshnikov - still think Polunin is better. Ballet is not about speed. Looks like Baryshnikov was trying hard to compensate for his height. Sergei is much more graceful and elegant yet strong, like a lion. Also, Sergei is more versatile, pretty much anything works for him - he can be a prince, Spartacus, Acteon, Rudolf from Mayerling… Do you think Baryshnikov would be better in those roles?
@@irinamaltseva5138if you knew ballet, you would know the names of not only the highly promoted dancers. Polunin is just a hyped dancer. There is nothing genius about him. He is sooooo far from Nureev, Baryshnikov, Tsiskaridze and Godunov
@@irinamaltseva5138 in the end taste is subjective. Baryshnikov's speed is also a product of the time: the music played faster too so he needed to hit those beats faster as a result. I think for me, the main difference between him and Polunin is that with Polunin, as amazing as he is, you can still see how absolutely difficult it is what he's doing. You can see the effort. It's beautiful to see of course. But Baryshnikov makes it seem like it costs him no effort at all. He flies. He sells the fairytale aspect of it like (imo) no one else has before or since.
I was trying to describe him to my son so he would watch this video. He isn't really a ballet fan. All I could think of was to tell him that watching Barishnikov dance was like watching Secretariat run or Pavarotti sing. Perfection is rare in one's lifetime but sometimes you get lucky enough to experience it. My son's reaction was "Dude, the guy jumps like a deer!" And so much more. I told him to try even one of those steps, twirls, etc. Nope.😊
Went to N.Y.C. to see a ballet with my Mom. (NYC ballet company). We did not know we were to be blessed with a performance by the great Baryshnikov. What a wondrous night for us both! Mom is gone but I still remember that night like it was yesterday. A truly magic night for us both💑🩰A once in a lifetime happening.
I heard from Vaganova 3:28 that every 10 years is born one of a kind ballet dancer. But watching Baryshnikov you might be right about every100 years : 1 superstar.
I am just giving you the main point of the statement, I didn’t translate in detail. Watching Baryshnikov she /he believes that every 100 years is born one of a kind super star ballet dancer.
The greatist ballet dancer ever exist. his beautiful eyes looked through my heart while he danced with such grace and powerful precision. HE is THE BEST.
I agree that he is the best male ballet dancer ever.... brilliant technician and showman. Daniil Simkin might be the closest we’ll ever see to Baryshnikov 🤔
@@lyallg8112 baryshnikov was far better than the excelent too simkin belive me l saw baryshnikov many times at his top in 75 77 79 and daniil can't do nothing
@@alicemartin3819 l saw live both misha at his top (many times in 70's )and daniil misha imho is better more power and strenght and far better stage apparence and better actor .off course daniil is super too ,but not like misha
I am 15 years old wen i was 13 i was thinking about stopping dance. But after i saw a short basilio performance i discovered this man who is a plane. After that i totally regretted my opinion and i continue to dance. My life is now just dance and watch Baryshnikov all day all night
Mr. Baryshnikov still remains the best. I am so thankful to be able to see him dance. No one comes close when all factors - technique, purity, charisma, acting elegance- are considered. He really is a marvel.
I drove all the way to Westwood Village by myself from Orange County to see this marvelous film, The Turning Point, on the day it opened over 40 years ago so I could see him dance. It was worth every moment! Fabulous! ♥
Same here. Never tire of watching him. His acting and timing is incredible. Can play any part, dramatic or humourous. Never be another one like him. How can anyone top this?
Whenever I watch him, I am reminded of a remark made by Gregory Hines, I think it was for a tribute to Barischnikov. Mentionning their work on White nights, he said something like "Mikhail would jump. And then we would wait, and wait, and wait, until he daigned coming down." It still completely amazes me to see him jump, and yes, it looks like he's going to stay up forever... What a dancer...
Yes. Hines made the remark at the Kennedy Center Awards. Misha was being recognized. But I’m still trying to find a clip of Misha giving Astaire acclaim, acknowledging Fred as a great great dancer. But back to Baryshnikov. People sometimes will argue/debate whether he is the greatest. I think he is but what helped me explain my POV on that was a review I read somewhere. The writer was saying that Misha was the greatest classical ballet dancer BUT what made him the greatest dancer was what happened after he defected. After arriving in North America and getting situated at NYCB and ABT he pursued the reasons for his defection. Connecting with Martha Graham, George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp and on and on he mastered the modern dance forms each of these choreographers developed. He could do it all. Perfectly. And all of them came knocking at his door. What made him the greatest was his curiosity, devotion, mastery of IT ALL. That is what this person wrote- don’t remember who wrote it or where it was published. Baryshnikov is a genius. And even now, as he’s aged, he has created space for up and coming artists and aging artists to evolve their careers to a new place. He’s the best. Listen on you tube to a commencement speech he gave in 2013 at Northwestern University. It’s about 18 minutes long and worth every minute of it.
What I love is he is so masculine strong and sensual …but so graceful at the same time. He must’ve had ladies lined up at his door day or night no joke! ❤
Мой самый любимый артист балета, никакие отрицательные комментарии никогда не повлияют на моё отношение. Знаю его ещё когда он только пришёл в Мариинский театр, совсем молодым, потом его победа на конкурсе в Москве. Восхищались его миниатюрой Вестрис. Видела неоднократно его на сцене. Здоровья ему и низкий поклон.
@@user-tk7zf4he9r И да: видела Михаила живьем в Дон Кихоте в 1972 г. Шла конкретно на балет даже не подозревая, что увижу подобное. Я, подросток, была ошеломлена и никого не видела на сцене, кроме него. Один раз и навсегда. Идентичный шок ощутила через 6 лет на концерте Магомаева. ЭТО было в моей жизни!!!
@@tanon5765 да, я тоже приблизительно тогда видела и Магомаева слушала с Синявской, вот настоящие таланты! Жалею, что не удалось видеть на сцене Николая Максимовича. Спасибо большое вам за ответы.
I watched this six times and every time he takes my breath away! So beautiful…and it appears to me he’s actually cracking up!! Having a blast throwing himself in the air and spinning!! Wow! Bravo!! Bravo!! Thank you for showing me this video.
We saw Barishnikov when he danced with Merce Cunningham (Merce’s last performance)@Lincoln Center, front row. I was maybe 4’ away from Barishnikov as he did a balance/strength move; I watched every muscle, tendon, skin, sweat, close up. I was so utterly blown away. His eyes were a brighter blue that I imagined, but it was his ability to control every single movement slowly while sweat dripped down his calf was captivating. He was 51. He looked 40 at most. His ability, intention, and skill to dance in every dance genre and the joy he presents places him, for me, as the best, most influential dancer of the 20th Century.
Csak nézem és nézem , hogy röpül . S vele a szívem is. Éjjel és nappal, ha vidám vagyok és ha szomorú vagyok. Misha, te minden idők legnagyobb táncosa vagy, s csodálatos színész . 👍⭐️🙏🥰
He always gives me chills watching him. The height he achieves with his jumps and leaps, his landings are so controlled and there’s not a falter, and the spins he stops on a dime. I just can’t believe what I’m looking at.
tutte le volte che lo rivedo ballare mi emoziona sempre . Non riesco a smettere di vederlo danzare esprime tutto . Tecnica precisone bellezza eleganza cuore e sentimenti !!! Magnifico!!!
Baryshnikov's endless spins, his floating jumps, his grace were all based on a trait that seems to go unnoticed: his absolutely perfect balance. He always knew where he was in the air, never wavered from vertical no matter how many times he spun, always touched down from jumps with his body aligned for landing without the slightest lurch or stagger. Lofting five sky-high jumps in a row, then landing softly on one knee was only possible because of his unparalleled spatial orientation.
@@erzsebethlisi9281 Il controllo effettuato a marzo ha evidenziato la mancanza di calcio nel sangue. È addirittura inferiore del livello relativo a prima della cura. Tra un mese avrò la visita dal medico che mi cura l'osteoporosi (mi ha fatto attendere 2 mesi!). Ti abbraccio
@@ritanicosia Ciao Rita!! Mi dispiace davvero che la cura non abbia sortito gli effetti sperati...ti mando un enorme in bocca al lupo!! Che i tuoi valori siano buoni al piu presto!!!
All the other men ballet figures dance. M. Barishikokov " lives" it from the moment he'd gotten into the stage till the last one! Unbelievable! Astonishing, ever!❤
Thank you, thank you, thank you. My favorite movie of all time which I've watched so many times I can recite the dialogue..."Well don't feel it, count it". Bet I'm not the only one! Sadly my VHS copy has gone missing. You don't know how much I needed this today.
I saw Baryshnikov for the first time before he left the Kirov. He was dancing with Natalia Makarova. It was magic. I was hooked. I saw hm every chance I got.
I had the great pleasure of seeing him in person, such a great performance, such a great dancer. The movie White Nights, with Gregory Hines, was also fantastic, showed him in another light. Both men performed in the movie, was a real treat.
I have watched the video on utube of several artists dance the lecorsaire solo and then I watch Baryshnikov dance it. There is no comparison. And these other dancers are world famous. Even though he was born and trained in Russia, I still feel like he is “ours”.
Обажаю его Я была на первом международном в Москве не описуемое впечатление от красоты чистоты от мужской энергии Педагог Пушкин замечатель был педагог и чудесные ученики
Not only he flies and spins in a non-human way (even more astounding if compared to his peers at that time), but he always is so PERFECTLY on music. He can do 10 pirouettes at the speed of the light and baaam, finishes up clean and still there is time to take a picture 😅
Я видела, начиная с выпускного концерта хореографического училища. Он выпускался па де де из "Пламени Парижа". Посчастливилось быть на его единственном творческом вечере, помоемкоторооо он вскоре и уехал. И даже видела его в единственном спектакле "Жизель" с Бессмертновой. И это всегда было чудо. Даже самой сейчас не верится, что все это было...
@@user-jy6ix9cb3k наверное комментатор столь титулован в балетном мире, что боится назвать свои регалии, что б мы к ее мнению прислушались. Вдруг оно номер.1 балетный гений. 😇.
Omg!! Who is this guy throwing himself all over the stage!! Fantastic!! Beautiful!! Omg, so strong and graceful….takes my breath away…..he looks like he’s having a blast! It’s easy for him. Such talent! Oh! I see who it is…no wonder….what a dancer…..my God…..❤❤
