Mikhail Baryshnikov is one of the few ballet dancers that has widespread recognition outside of the dance world. In addition to his jaw dropping technical abilities, his acting in four movies and one cable series from the 1970s through the early 2000s served as an important artistic vehicle to expand his reach into popular culture to non-ballet fans. This video is the first in a series on Baryshnikov in the movies. This video covers his work in The Turning Point, a 1977 movie in which he portrayed a character not far from his own reality as a dance superstar Soviet defector. In his first film, he commanded attention with his dynamic presence and gravitas. So grab some popcorn, turn out the lights and enjoy the show!
Great to revisit this movie which I’ve seen 3 times. There are some fantastic dance excerpts in it. I’d love to see your views on White Nights. It’s a potboiler for sure, but also has some great moments such as Le jeune homme e la morte, and the scene where Misha dances choreography by Tharp set to a Russian pop song in thepresence of Helen Mirren’s character. It’s absolutely heartbreaking.
Thanks Marta. I should have a video on White Nights soon.