The art of dance has been a universal form of self-expression since ancient times. Body language is understood by anyone in the world, which is why dancing is so popular. From ballet to modern dance, from hip-hop to salsa, from oriental dances to flamenco - to last decades dance like high art, is experiencing real prosperity.
But when it comes to individual dancers, it can be very difficult to choose just one as the best. If you are interested in dancing and the people who devoted their whole lives to it, then we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the list of the most famous and popular dancers of the 20th century.
10 Most Famous Dancers of the 20th Century
1. RUDOLF NURIEV
The artist was born in Russia and already at the age of twenty became a soloist of the Mariinsky Theater. In 1961, Nuriev asks political asylum, allegedly due to his oppression by the authorities, and receives it in France. Then the artist tours with the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas.
Eyewitnesses say that Nureyev was amazingly charismatic, and his emotional performance in a duet with Fonteyn in Romeo and Juliet remains to this day one of the most powerful performances among duets in the history of ballet.
Unfortunately, Nureyev became one of the first victims of HIV and died of AIDS in 1993. Twenty years later, we are still enjoying the great legacy he left behind.
2. MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV
Mikhail Baryshnikov is one of the greatest ballet dancers of all time, considered by many critics to be the best. Before joining the Mariinsky Theater troupe in 1967, Baryshnikov studied ballet at the Leningrad Vaganova School. Since the beginning of his career at the Mariinsky Theater, Mikhail has taken leading roles in dozens of productions.
Baryshnikov played a key role in the emergence of ballet as part of popular culture in the late 1970s and early 80s, and he was the face of the art form for more than two decades.
Today Mikhail Baryshnikov is perhaps the most influential and famous dancer of our time.
3. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers - this great dancing couple is today in third place in the ranking of the most famous dancers 20th century. The couple was very harmonious, he gave her class, and she made him even more charismatic. Their performances were accessible to the widest masses, and the public responded to them with sincere love.
The heyday of Astaire and Rogers' careers came during the Great Depression, and the timing was extremely fortunate: many Americans at that time were struggling to make ends meet, and fiery dances couples allowed them to escape reality for at least a little while and have fun.
4. JOAQUIN CORTEZ
Joaquin Cortez is the youngest among the dancers presented on our list. Although he has not yet finished his career and may not have danced his most famous dance, Cortez is one of the few dancers in history who received the title of sex symbol and is incredibly popular among both women and men. Madonna and Jennifer Lopez claim to adore him, while Naomi Campbell and Mira Sorvino join the ranks of women whose hearts he broke.
It's safe to say that Joaquin Cortez is one of the greatest flamenco dancers in the world. Among his male admirers are Tarantino, Armani, Al Pacino, Banderas and Sting. Fans call him the god of flamenco, and if you watch even one recording of his performance, you will understand why. At the age of forty-four, Cortez is still alone; he once declared: “Dancing is my wife, my only woman.”
5. MICHAEL JACKSON
Michael Jackson was the man who made dancing an important element of modern pop music. Most of today's pop stars such as Justin Bieber, Usher, Justin Timberlake, admitted that in different time they were heavily influenced by Michael Jackson's style.
His contribution to dance is enormous. Jackson was an innovator who created new dance moves on his own. His natural grace, flexibility and sense of rhythm contributed to the emergence of the signature "Jackson style". His colleagues called him a “sponge” for his ability to search and find new ideas and techniques wherever he was.
Jackson looked for inspiration in the works of James Brown, Marcelle Marceau, Gene Kelly and, no matter how strange it may sound, in the performances of classical ballet dancers. Michael Jackson's originality and unique style brought him fame, and today he stands alongside other giants of popular music such as Elvis and the Beatles.
6. SYLVIE GUILLEM
At forty-eight years old, Sylvie Guillem continues to be one of the most popular ballerinas in the world. Guillem has changed the face of ballet, her performances go beyond its classical boundaries.
Instead of building a classical career as a ballerina, Guillem made a bold choice, equally participating in productions of the Paris Opera and in the projects of William Forsythe. Along with Maria Callas in the opera world, Sylvie Guillem again shaped the popular image of a ballerina.
7. GENE KELLY
Gene Kelly was one of the most famous stars Hollywood musicals. Kelly's numbers harmoniously combined ballet elements and modern dance movements - it was his own unique style. Kelly brought new dance trends to theatrical productions.
Kelly's legacy is his music video, recognized and loved around the world. More than one generation of American dancers has found something of their own in his movements and style.
8. JOSEPHINE BAKER
Although the name Josephine Baker is associated primarily with the heyday jazz music- the golden age of jazz, her influence on emerging and contemporary stars remains great.
Josephine Baker is one of the first stars of African descent. She arrived in Paris in 1925 and literally captivated the public with her combination of exotic charm and talent. Josephine performed at the Folies Bergere, and this was a good start to her career. In France, the artist did not feel as widespread racial prejudice as it was in the United States at that time.
At the end of her life, Josephine returned to the stage. She died in 1975 from a cerebral hemorrhage.
9. MARTHA GRAHAM
Martha Graham is considered the mother of modern dance. She created more than one hundred and fifty unique choreographic numbers and had a huge influence on all areas of modern dance.
Her technique is different from the classical one, and movements such as compression, release and spiral are her own invention. Graham went even further and created a “language of movement” based on the expressive capabilities of the human body.
10. VACLAV NIJINSKY
Vaslav Nijinsky was one of the most talented ballet dancers in history. Unfortunately, there are no recordings of his performance left, so it is currently impossible to appreciate his incredible talent.
Nijinsky was famous for his amazing ability defying gravity, which was embodied in his magnificent leaps. Vaclav was the partner of the legendary Anna Pavlova.
Nijinsky left the stage in 1919 at the age of twenty-nine. He was sick with schizophrenia and frequent nervous breakdowns did not allow him to continue working. The artist spent the last years of his life in psychiatric hospitals and shelters.
Ballet is called an integral part of the art of our country. Russian ballet is considered the most authoritative in the world, the standard. This review contains the success stories of five great Russian ballerinas who are still looked up to today.
Anna Pavlova
Outstanding ballerina Anna Pavlova was born into a family far from art. She developed the desire to dance at the age of 8 after the girl saw ballet performance"Sleeping Beauty". At the age of 10, Anna Pavlova was accepted into the Imperial Theater School, and after graduation, she was accepted into the troupe of the Mariinsky Theater.
What is curious is that the aspiring ballerina was not placed in the corps de ballet, but immediately began to give her responsible roles in productions. Anna Pavlova danced under the direction of several choreographers, but the most successful and fruitful tandem, which had a fundamental influence on her performance style, was with Mikhail Fokin.
Anna Pavlova supported the choreographer’s bold ideas and readily agreed to experiments. Miniature "The Dying Swan", which later became business card Russian ballet, was almost impromptu. In this production, Fokine gave the ballerina more freedom, allowing her to independently feel the mood of “The Swan” and improvise. In one of the first reviews, the critic admired what he saw: “If a ballerina on stage can imitate the movements of the noblest of birds, then this has been achieved:.”
Galina Ulanova
Galina Ulanova's fate was predetermined from the very beginning. The girl’s mother worked as a ballet teacher, so Galina, even if she really wanted to, was unable to bypass the ballet barre. Years of grueling training led to Galina Ulanova becoming the most titled artist Soviet Union.
After graduating from the choreographic technical school in 1928, Ulanova was accepted into ballet troupe Leningrad Opera and Ballet Theater. From the very first performances, the young ballerina attracted the attention of spectators and critics. A year later, Ulanova was entrusted with performing the leading role of Odette-Odile in Swan Lake. Giselle is considered one of the ballerina’s triumphant roles. Performing the scene of the heroine's madness, Galina Ulanova did it so soulfully and selflessly that even the men in the audience could not hold back their tears.
Galina Ulanova reached . They imitated her, teachers of the leading ballet schools in the world demanded that their students do steps “like Ulanova.” The famous ballerina is the only one in the world to whom monuments were erected during her lifetime.
Galina Ulanova danced on stage until she was 50 years old. She was always strict and demanding of herself. Even in old age, the ballerina began every morning with classes and weighed 49 kg.
Olga Lepeshinskaya
For passionate temperament, sparkling technique and precision of movements Olga Lepeshinskaya nicknamed "Dragonfly Jumper". The ballerina was born into a family of engineers. WITH early childhood the girl literally raved about dancing, so her parents had no choice but to send her to the ballet school at the Bolshoi Theater.
Olga Lepeshinskaya easily coped with both ballet classics (“ Swan Lake", "Sleeping Beauty"), and with modern productions ("Red Poppy", "Flames of Paris.") During the Great Patriotic War, Lepeshinskaya fearlessly performed at the front, raising the morale of soldiers.
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Olga Lepeshinskaya -
ballerina with a passionate temperament. | Photo: www.etoretro.ru.
Despite the fact that the ballerina was Stalin’s favorite and had many awards, she was very demanding of herself. Already at an advanced age, Olga Lepeshinskaya said that her choreography could not be called outstanding, but her “natural technique and fiery temperament” made her inimitable.
Maya Plisetskaya
Maya Plisetskaya- another outstanding ballerina, whose name is inscribed in golden letters in the history of Russian ballet. When the future artist was 12 years old, she was adopted by Aunt Shulamith Messerer. Plisetskaya’s father was shot, and her mother and little brother were sent to Kazakhstan to a camp for the wives of traitors to the Motherland.
Aunt Plisetskaya was a ballerina Bolshoi Theater, so Maya also began to attend choreography classes. The girl achieved great success in this field and after graduating from college she was accepted into the Bolshoi Theater troupe.
Plisetskaya's innate artistry, expressive plasticity, and phenomenal jumps made her a prima ballerina. Maya Plisetskaya performed leading roles in all classical productions. She was especially successful tragic images. Also, the ballerina was not afraid of experiments in modern choreography.
After the ballerina was fired from the Bolshoi Theater in 1990, she did not despair and continued to give solo performances. The overflowing energy allowed Plisetskaya to make her debut in the production of “Ave Maya” on her 70th birthday.
Lyudmila Semenyaka
Beautiful ballerina Lyudmila Semenyaka performed on the stage of the Mariinsky Theater when she was only 12 years old. The talented talent could not go unnoticed, so after some time Lyudmila Semenyaka was invited to the Bolshoi Theater. Significant influence Galina Ulanova, who became her mentor, influenced the ballerina’s work.
Semenyaka coped with any part so naturally and effortlessly that from the outside it seemed as if she was not making any effort, but was simply enjoying the dance. In 1976, Lyudmila Ivanovna was awarded the Anna Pavlova Prize from the Paris Academy of Dance.
At the end of the 1990s, Lyudmila Semenyaka announced her retirement from her ballerina career, but continued her activities as a teacher. Since 2002, Lyudmila Ivanovna has been a teacher-tutor at the Bolshoi Theater.
But he mastered the art of ballet in Russia, and spent most of his life performing in the USA.
IN pre-revolutionary Russia the ballet was very popular. Despite the fact that after the revolution many dancers of the imperial theater left the country and began performing on the stages of foreign theaters, there were many artists left in Russia who were able to revive the art of ballet in the country and found the Soviet ballet. And the first one helped them with this people's commissar by education Anatoly Lunacharsky, who made a lot of efforts to preserve and develop this type of art in a dilapidated state. In the 30s of the 20th century, the first stars of Soviet ballet began to appear. Many of them received the title people's artist RSFSR and USSR:
- Ekaterina Geltser;
- Agrippina Vaganova;
- Galina Ulanovna;
- Olga Lepeshinskaya;
- Vasily Tikhomirov;
- Mikhail Gabovich;
- Alexey Ermolaev;
- Rostislav Zakharov;
- Asaf Messerer;
- Konstantin Sergeev and others.
40s - 50s
During these years, the Imperial Theater of St. Petersburg was renamed the Ballet. Kirov (now the Mariinsky Theatre), and the artistic director of this theater was the honored ballerina Agrippina Vaganova, a student of Petipa and Cecchetti. She was forced to transform storylines, subordinating them to Soviet ideological principles. For example, the ending of the ballet “Swan Lake” was changed from tragic to sublime. A Imperial Ballet School became the Leningrad State Choreographic Institute. Future stars of Soviet ballet studied here. After the death of the outstanding ballerina in 1957, this educational institution was renamed the Agrippina Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. That's what it's called to this day. The most popular ballet theaters in the country are the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow and the Theater named after. Kirov (Mariinsky Theatre) in Leningrad. The theaters' repertoire included works by both foreign and Russian Soviet composers. Particularly popular were the ballets “Cinderella” and “Romeo and Juliet” and others. The ballet did not stop performing over the years Patriotic War. However, it reached its peak in the middle of the century. Hungry for cultural events during the war years soviet people flooded theater halls, and each new performance was sold out. Ballet dancers were very popular. During these years, new stars of Soviet ballet appeared: Tatyana Zimina, Maya Plisetskaya, Yuri Grigorovich, Maris Liepa, Raisa Struchkova, Boris Bregvadze, Vera Dubrovina, Inna Zubkovskaya, Askold Makarov, Tamara Seifert, Nadezhda Nadezhdina, Vera Orlova, Violetta Bovt and others.
60s - 70s
In subsequent years, Soviet ballet became the hallmark of the USSR. The troupes of the Bolshoi and Kirov Theaters successfully toured all over the world, even traveling behind the Iron Curtain. Some Soviet ballet stars, finding themselves “over the hill” and weighing all the pros and cons, decided to stay there and asked for political asylum. They were considered traitors in their homeland, and the media wrote about famous “defectors.” Alexander Godunov, Natalya Markova, Valery Panov, Rudolf Nuriev - they all had great success and were in demand at ballet scenes the most prestigious theaters in the world. However, the Soviet ballet dancer the Great Rudolf Nureyev gained the greatest popularity in the world. He became a legend in the history of world culture. Since 1961, he has not returned from the Parisian tour and became the premier at Covent Garden, and from the 1980s he became the head of the Grand Opera in Paris.
Conclusion
Today, Russian ballet does not lose its popularity, and young artists raised by Soviet choreographers are in demand all over the world. Russian ballet artists in the 21st century are free in their actions. They can freely enter into contracts and perform on the stages of foreign theaters and with their brilliant performances prove to everyone that Russian ballet is the best in the whole world.
On March 17, the great Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev would have turned 78 years old. Ballet classic Roland Petit called Nuriev dangerous, the press called him a frantic Tatar, and rock stars and royalty confessed their love to him. ELLE - about the “ballet Russians” who have achieved success in the West.
Sarah Bernhardt believed Nijinsky greatest actor the world, the press - no less than the eighth wonder of the world. A native of Kyiv, a dancer at the Mariinsky Theater, Nijinsky made his debut in Paris, where he amazed audiences and critics with his phenomenal technique, plasticity and taste. And the most amazing thing is that his career as a dancer lasted only ten years. In 1917, he appeared on stage for the last time, and until his death in 1950, he struggled with schizophrenia, moving between psychiatric clinics. Nijinsky’s influence on world ballet is difficult to overestimate, and his diaries are still deciphered and interpreted differently by specialists.
One of the main stars of Russian ballet in the world, Nureyev was a real pop star, bright and scandalous. A difficult, quarrelsome character, arrogance, stormy personal life and a tendency to shocking did not obscure the main thing - the incredible talent of Nuriev, who managed to combine together the traditions of ballet and current, as they say now, trends. A native of Ufa, the long-awaited son, who did not live up to the hopes of his military father, who contemptuously called Rudolf “ballerina,” made his most famous jump not on stage, but in the control zone of the Paris airport. In 1961, the Soviet dancer Nureyev suddenly ran away with 30 francs in his pocket, asking for political asylum. Thus began Nuriev’s ascent to the world ballet Olympus. Fame, money, luxury, parties at Studio 54, gold, brocade, rumors of affairs with Freddie Mercury, Yves Saint Laurent, Elton John - and best roles at the London Royal Ballet, director of the ballet group of the Paris Grand Opera. A completely ill Nuriev spent the last hundred days of his life in his beloved Paris. He is buried there.
Another famous representative of ballet, who can safely be called a pop star, is in many ways similar to Nuriev: childhood in a Soviet province (if we consider Riga as a province - still not Moscow or Leningrad), complete misunderstanding on the part of his father and a real artistic rise outside THE USSR. Remaining in the West in 1974, Baryshnikov quickly gained a foothold at the top: first he headed the legendary New York City Ballet, then for nine years, from 1980 to 1989, he directed the no less famous American Ballet Theater. He also actively and quite successfully, although unevenly, acted in films, became a socialite, and met with Hollywood beauties Jessica Lange and Liza Minnelli. And to a new public, far from ballet (and, by the way, from Joseph Brodsky, with whom Baryshnikov had a real friendship), this incredible person became known thanks to a small but noticeable role in the series “Sex in big city" Sarah Jessica Parker is his biggest fan. called Mikhail Baryshnikov a tough boy - “ cool guy" Who would argue.
Vladimir Vasiliev is a symbol of the Bolshoi Theater and all Russian ballet of the second half of the 20th century. Due to the fact that Vasiliev lived in the Soviet Union, his popularity in the West is much inferior to the glory of the same Baryshnikov, although art connoisseurs, of course, know and appreciate him. Vasiliev worked mainly in Europe, gradually changing his profession to choreographer. Kazan and Paris, Rome and Perm, Vilnius and Rio - the geography of Vasiliev’s creative movements affirms and confirms his cosmopolitanism.
The blond giant, Bolshoi star, Godunov, in August 1979, while on tour in the States, decided not to return home. A terrible drama unfolded, in which not only the artist himself and his wife, ballerina Lyudmila Vlasova, were involved, but also Joseph Brodsky, the FBI, and even the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union. Remaining in the States, Godunov became part of the famous American ballet theater, who eventually left after a quarrel with his best friend Mikhail Baryshnikov. Then there was work within the framework of his own project “Godunov and Friends”, success, an affair with actress Jacqueline Bisset and an abrupt departure from the profession. Bisset persuaded Alexander to start a film career, and he partially succeeded: “Witness” with Harrison Ford and especially “Die Hard” made yesterday’s ballet dancer a Hollywood star. However, Godunov himself did not like being on the sidelines, although those who had not even been interested in ballet had now learned about “this Russian.”
He never returned to dancing, and in 1995 he died at the age of 45. “I believe that he did not take root and died of loneliness,” said Joseph Brodsky, who took an active part in his fate as a “defector.”
The art of dance is a unique form of expression that uses a universal body language that everyone can understand. From ballet to modern dance, from hip-hop to salsa and from oriental dance to flamenco - dance in Lately has become a pleasure which is a kind of rebirth.
But if we talk about individual dancers, which of them has best moves? The best posture, strength and sharpness? Below are ten of the greatest dancers of the twentieth century - chosen by their fame, popularity and influence on world art dance.
10. Vaslav Nijinsky
Vaslav Nijinsky was one of the most talented ballet dancers in history, perhaps even the greatest. Unfortunately, there is no clear footage of his incredible talent in motion, which is the main reason why he only ranks tenth on this list.
Nijinsky was well known for his amazing ability to defy gravity with his magnificent leaps, as well as his ability to fully inhabit the role he was playing. He is also known for dancing in pointe shoes, a skill not often seen in dancers. Nijinsky danced in the lead roles paired with the legendary ballerina Anna Pavlova. Then Tamara Karsavina, founder of London's Royal Academy of Dancing, became his partner. They were described with Karsavina as “the most exemplary artists of that time.”
Nijinsky left the stage in 1919, at the relatively young age of twenty-nine. His retirement is believed to have been due to a nervous breakdown, and he was also diagnosed with schizophrenia. Nijinsky spent last years their lives in psychiatric hospitals and asylums. The last time he danced in public was in the final days of World War II, impressing a group of Russian soldiers with his complex dance moves. Nijinsky died in London on April 8, 1950.
9. Martha Graham
Martha Graham is considered the mother of modern dance. She created the only fully codified technique of modern dance, produced over one hundred and fifty works during her life as a choreographer, and had a huge influence on all areas of modern dance.
Deviation of her technique from classical ballet, and the use of certain body movements such as compression, release and spirals, have had a profound influence on the world of dance art. Graham even went so far as to create a “language” of movement based on the expressive capabilities of the human body.
She danced and choreographed for over seventy years. During this time, she became the first dancer to perform at the White House; the first dancer to travel overseas as a cultural ambassador and the first dancer to receive the highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As the mother of modern dance, she will be immortalized in the memory of people for her incredibly emotional performances, her unique choreography, and especially for her homegrown dance technique.
8. Josephine Baker
Although Josephine Baker's name is primarily associated with the Jazz Age, her fiery dances continue to influence the dance world almost one hundred and ten years after her birth, as they always did.
Many decades before Madonna, Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez, there was Josephine Baker, one of the world's first celebrities of African descent. Josephine went to Paris in 1925 to dance in La Revue Nègre. She made a lasting impression on French audiences with her perfect combination of exotic charm and talent.
The following year she performed at the Folies Bergère, and this was the true beginning of her career. She appeared in a banana skirt and wowed the crowd with her dancing style. She later added singing to her performances, and remained popular in France for many years. Josephine Baker responded to the adoration of the French people by becoming a French citizen herself in 1937.
In France, she did not feel the same level of racial prejudice that was present in the United States at the time. Toward the end of her life, Josephine Baker hoped to create a "world village" on her estate in France, but these plans were dashed by financial difficulties. To raise funds, she returned to the stage. Her return was short, but it was a triumph on Broadway in the 1970s, and in 1975 she opened a retrospective show in Paris. She died that year from a cerebral hemorrhage, a week after the show opened.
7. Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly was one of the biggest stars and greatest innovators during the golden age of musicals in Hollywood. Kelly considered his own style, something of a hybrid of different approaches to dance, he took his movements from modern dance, ballet, and tap.
Kelly brought dance to the theater, using every inch of his set, every possible surface, and every wide camera angle to break out of the two-dimensional confines of film. And in doing so, he changed the way filmmakers looked at their cameras. Thanks to Kelly, the camera became a living instrument, and even the dancer it was filming.
Kelly's legacy permeates the music video industry. Photographer Mike Salisbury photographed Michael Jackson for the cover of "Off The Wall" wearing "white socks and lightweight leather Gene Kelly loafers" - which have become the movie star's trademark. It was this image that after some time became his own recognizable brands singer
Paula Abdul, originally known for her dancing and choreography, referenced Kelly's famous dance with Jerry the Mouse in her kitschy video for "Opposites Attract," which ends with a tap dance. Usher was another top-selling artist who paid tribute to Kelly's legacy. There will never be another dancer like Kelly, and his influence continues to resonate through generations of American dancers.
6. Sylvie Guillem
At forty-eight years old, Sylvie Guillem continues to defy the laws of ballet and gravity. Guillem changed the face of ballet with her uncanny talents, which she always used with intelligence, integrity and sensitivity. Her natural curiosity and courage led her to the most daring paths, beyond the usual boundaries of classical ballet.
Instead of spending her entire career on "safe" performances, she made bold decisions, equally capable of performing the role of "Raymonda" at the Paris Opera, or being part of an innovative dance performance based on the work of Forsythe. In The Middle Something Elevated." Almost no other dancer has such range, so it is not at all surprising that she has become the standard for most dancers around the world. Like Maria Callas in the opera world, Guillem was able to change the popular image of the ballerina.
5. Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was exactly the man who could do music videos trend and he is, without a doubt, the one who made dancing an important element of modern pop music. Jackson's moves have already become standard vocabulary in pop and hip-hop dances. Most modern pop icons such as Justin Bieber, Usher, Justin Timberlake admit that Michael Jackson's style has had a strong influence on them.
His contribution to the art of dance was original and unusual. Jackson was an innovator who was primarily self-taught, designing new dance moves without the often encountered effects of formal training that limit the flight of imagination. His natural grace, flexibility and amazing rhythm contributed to the creation of the “Jackson style.” His employees called him a "sponge." This nickname was given to him for his ability to absorb ideas and techniques wherever he found them.
Jackson's biggest inspirations were James Brown, Marcel Marceau, Gene Kelly, and perhaps this will surprise many people, various classical ballet dancers. What many of his fans don't know is that he initially tried to "pirouette like Baryshnikov" and "tap dance like Fred Astaire" but failed miserably. However, his dedication to his own unique style brought him the fame he sought, and today his name stands alongside other giants of popular music such as Elvis and the Beatles, and he is considered one of the greatest pop icons of all time.
4. Joaquin Cortés
Joaquin Cortez is the youngest dancer on this list, but despite the fact that he is still in the process of shaping his legacy, he is one of the few dancers in history who managed to become phenomenal sex symbols, beloved by both women and men. and men. Elle Macpherson described it as "walking sex"; Madonna and Jennifer Lopez have publicly expressed their adoration for him, while Naomi Campbell and Mira Sorvino are among the women whose hearts he has (rumored) broken.
It is safe to say that Cortez is not only one of greatest dancers flamenco throughout history, but also precisely those who secured flamenco’s place in popular culture. His male admirers include Tarantino, Armani, Bertolucci, Al Pacino, Antonio Banderas, and Sting. Many of his fans call him the Flamenco God or simply the Sex God and if you get a chance to watch one of his shows, you will understand why. However, at the age of forty-four, Cortez remains a bachelor, declaring that "dance is my wife, my only woman."
3. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
Astaire and Rogers, of course, were a unique pair of dancers. They say that “he gave her charm, and she gave him sex appeal.” They made dancing much more appealing to the masses during a rather prudish time. This was partly due to the fact that Rogers used her acting skills to dance, and made it seem like dancing with Astaire was the happiest moment of her life.
The era also contributed to the rise in their popularity; during the Great Depression, many Americans were trying to make ends meet - and these two dancers gave people a chance to forget about the depressing reality for a while and have fun.
2. Mikhail Baryshnikov 
Mikhail Baryshnikov is one of the greatest ballet dancers of all time, considered by many critics to be the greatest. Born in Latvia, Baryshnikov studied ballet at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg (then called Leningrad) before he began performing at the Mariinsky Theater in 1967. Since then, he has performed leading roles in dozens of ballets. He played a key role in bringing ballet into popular culture back in the late 1970s and early 80s, and he was the face of the art form for over two decades. Baryshnikov is perhaps the most influential dancer of our time.
1. Rudolf Nureyev
Baryshnikov won the hearts of critics and fellow dancers, and Rudolf Nureyev was able to charm millions of ordinary people around the world. The Russian-born dancer became a soloist at the Mariinsky Theater at the age of 20. In 1961, when his personal life made him the subject close attention by the Soviet authorities, he asked for political asylum in Paris, and then toured with the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas ( Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas).
In the 1970s, he broke into the film industry. Most critics argue that he was not as technically good as Baryshnikov, but Nureyev still managed to captivate the crowds with his amazing charisma and emotional performances. The ballet of the couple Nureyev and Fonteyn (Romeo and Juliet) remains to this day one of the most powerful and emotional duet performances in the history of ballet.
Unfortunately, Nureyev was one of the first victims of HIV infection, and died of AIDS in 1993. Twenty years later, we can still see the incredible legacy he left behind.
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Donnie Burns 
Donnie Burns is a Scottish professional performer ballroom dancing, who specializes in Latin dances. Him and him ex-partner Dancer Gaynor Fairweather has been World Champion in Professional Latin Dance a record sixteen times. On this moment he is the President of the World Dance Council, and also appeared on the twelfth season of Dancing with the Stars.
He is considered the greatest ballroom dancer of all time, and his championship dances with his partner are now considered classics. But things didn't always go so well for Burns. During an interview with the Daily Sun, he admitted: "I never thought that little boy from Hamilton will be able to experience at least some of what I have experienced in my life. I was teased relentlessly at school and often got into fights because I wanted to prove that I was not a “dancing queen.”
It is safe to say that today he would not object to such an epithet, since Donnie Burns is currently considered the “King of Dance”.