Born in Riga, Latvia, in 1948, Mikhail Baryshnikov is one of the twentieth-century's most exciting and popular dancers. After initial training at the Riga Choreography School, Baryshnikov began his career in Leningrad with the famed Kirov Ballet. While hile on tour in Canada in 1974, he defected and immediately began dancing for the National Ballet of Canada and then the American Ballet Theatre in the United States. His amazing talent, matchless technique, and dynamic style soon made him an international star, rivaling his compatriot Rudolph Nureyev.
Much in demand, Baryshnikov has worked with a number of choreographers, including George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Frederick Ashton, and modern choreographer Twyla Tharp whose Push Comes to Shove (1976) has become a kind of signature piece for the dancer. A number of roles have been created especially for Barushnikov, including Frederick Ashton's last important work, Rhapsody (1980).
In 1980 Baryshnikov became artistic director of the American Ballet Theatre, but he left the company in 1989 to pursue other opportunities, including experimenting in modern dance with Mark Morris, one of America's most important young choreographers. In addition to his work in ballet and modern dance, Baryshnikov has also appeared in several films, including The Turning Point (1977), White Knights (1985), and Dancers (1987). In recent years Baryshnikov has focused more on modern dance than on ballet.