Check out my latest video on YouTube on Mikhail Baryshnikov’s early training under Alexander Pushkin. Baryshnikov is one of the most celebrated dancers in history. His defection from the Soviet Union in 1974 made headlines, launching an illustrious career in the West and making him a pop culture icon. His performances were breathtaking, combining preeminent athleticism with uncanny dramatic timing. But how did Baryshnikov become the G.O.A.T? This video focuses on his early training in the Soviet Union. His skills were honed by a legendary teacher at the Vaganova Ballet Academy: Alexander Pushkin. Pushkin was a father figure to Baryshnikov—perhaps the most important person in his early life next to his mother. Behind every great talent, there is often a mentor who steers them toward greatness. For Baryshnikov, that figure was Pushkin. This video examines this relationship, along with an analysis of Baryshnikov’s dancing in his early days when he was in his late teens and early 20s. This video examines this relationship, along with an analysis of Baryshnikov’s dancing in his early days when he was in his late teens and early 20s. Check it out!
