Mikhail Baryshnikov - Don Quixote Pas De Deux

[daniz0rz]

I think they both shine best when they do their little solos. Both of them are amazing dancers but the woman is more sharp than she is fluid while I think the opposite is true for Mikhail.

[coaching71]

No one can ever compare to Micha...but for Don Q u would think they would have found a better lead for him. She is awful!

[zumbawithcarla]

there is no one like him in our era,,,,,,

[faith022008]

Amazing he is so gifted!!! How was he dancing with? I did not like her, she lacks grace, she's too technical.

[ddchil41]

Mischa is how old here -20?? He was incredible ...hard to believe he is 60 now...Loved watching this...(Looks like this was done for the cameras...not on a stage...so the red costumes wouldn't have been necessary....

[TXejas19]

Mikhail is perfection, I can't take my eyes off of him. As for the lady I've seen better fouettes from my dancers and they are five but she is adorable and shows amazing control discipline. lol it's hard to look like a professional next to him

[200ariadne]

Breathtaking artistry and athleticism....not a life for softies, that's for sure!

[mrlopez2681]

it's nice to hear the music played at the proper tempo, unlike modern-day dancers who slow everything down endlessly..

[BytomGirl]

I was watching last night movie Turning Point where Mikhail danced this part in 1977, it was stunning, I am glad I found this video. Thanks.

[anyany]

Он гений, лучший из лучших, и равных ему нет и не будет (ужа я думаю))))!!!!

[uclmu2008]

Thank you for posting! Those two are amazing; this is so beautiful! And it's really nice to see them so young; their technique is amazing, and they add the soul to the piece that betrays any real artist to their audience. Very nice.

Lol at the parting in his hair, the scenerey and the baby ballerina outfit they gave her to play Kitri!

[Milordvega]

I only counted 30 pirouettes, but maybe I missed a couple.

Can't believe this clip if over 40 years old!

[92SimplyMe]

pura poesia di movimento!!!

[thefourandonly1]

amazing!!

But why aren't they wearing red?

[vladimmir100]

Плохой мультфильм,но в 1968 году хорошие мультфильмы для балета делать не умели, так как на сцене были Васильев,МАксивова,Долгушин,Со­ловьев и эта восходящая пара. Однако за рубежом Барышников недалеко ушел после 1968 года, а Рагозина, как и все ученики Сахаровой, хорошо растягивались и вертелись,но не понимали - что танцуют. Рагозина, Н.Павлова,Кунакова - пропавшие балерины, не по своей вине. Учили вертеться,не учили слушать музыку.

[najemami]

Watching Baryshnikov dance is seeing transcendant beauty made flesh. It is hard to actually believe what I am seeing.

[saunsnaen]

the finest Odette I ever saw was Semenyaka. She did just one act of Swan Lake at Wolf Trap decades ago and was so bird like. Fabulous! I'll never forget it. Baryshnikov's leaps are utterly without preparation. What perfection, always.

[liliamare]

Magnifica l'armonia tra musica e balletto in questa interpretazione emozionante.

[dakwa1]

This is fantastic to see these two so young doing the dancing they did so well. Great!

[PureSoapCleans]

@wwDevichan You have the right to be a communist sympathizer, but for Maya it was not because she couldn't dance Carmen, because her father was taken one morning from the home and killed by Stalin's orders, then her mother was taken to a concentration camp when Maya was only 9 yrold. It is an accumulation of repression in every order of your life. But not everyone enjoys that, the human spirit can't be forced to believe in what he doesn't believe. You are free to like it if you please. Enjoy!

[health2100]

@wwDevichan ah shut up

[PureSoapCleans]

@wwDevichan, I know what I am talking about because my family also defected. Please read the memoirs of Maya Plisetskaya "I Maya", you will hear in 1st person the horrors that these artists had to suffer in that totalitarian regime. Maya says that there was not one day that she didn't think of jumping out of the window and killing herself. Just to be allowed to dance Carmen, she had to fight so hard with the Party that with that energy she could have built another career as a dancer. Sad!

[kenzieemily]

To joshhh92 this is what? Lol...why are you watching it then? I think its beautiful.

[joshhh92]

this is fucked...

[Zsuzsi22]

Incredible dancing, fantastic video, thanks :-)

[basenjidiva]

Thank you for this fabulous posting. Misha was incomparable... such athletic prowess combined with balletic precision and grace. Fluidity personified! We never shall see the likes of him again! Bravoooh, Misha!

[todanceinheaven]

@basenjidiva

The best...I have seen his sheer brilliance several times, dreamed of partnering him...thanx for sharing this young MIsha....xx

[mrgreynomore]

It's a joy to see them so young, but that set is killing me! :p

[irenegarcia67]

such control of his body. how beautiful

[flufrules]

Fabulous performance rendered to incomparable music. flufrules

[znarf541]

Bary's great line and incredible technique made him so much fun to watch, and she's incredible too...

[starry61]

Thanks for posting this amazing video. Baryshnikov was the most brilliant technical dancer I've ever seen. PBS used to run ballet on Great Performances, live, and I saw Baryshnikov and Makarova dance Giselle one night, and it was incredible. No one could perform the technical feats like Baryshnikov, although I did think that Nureyev, while not a good technical dancer, was the better "actor". Incredible to get to see him while he was young, ...was wonderful even then.

[TheFlicka28]

God he's gorgeous...

[xjackybx]

beautiful. just fantastic.

[dewdropsnsnowflakes]

Mikhail is incredibly talented! He makes his moves look effortless...notice he doesn't have to wear those dreaded 'toe shoes' like the girl? Ouch!

[Smashthathardrive0]

Male dancers do not wear point shoes, dear... All other statements are correct..

[dewdropsnsnowflakes]

@Smashthathardrive0 Why don't male dancers wear point shoes?

[Smashthathardrive0]

@dewdropsnsnowflakes Because point shoes are for ballerinas to get on point! Male dancers  wear soft ballet slippers or jazz shoes.

[icantpirrouette13]

@dewdropsnsnowflakes

men don't usually have very good arches for pointe, and also most of them would be much too heavy, and would break their toes and ankles.

[torobay]

@PureSoapCleans

wtf. if he was born in USA most probably he would become a good tyre salesman, so please, shut the fuck up.

[PureSoapCleans]

@torobay, you must be a recycled KGB who is used to shut up people around you when they tell the truth. Have you read Maya Plisetskaya's book? Galina Ulanova's? They all say it. In the Soviet Union they didn't have the freedom to do what they did in America. Baryshnilov's mother hang herself when he was 12 yr.old., Plisetskaya says in her memoirs that there was not a day that she didn't consider jumping out of a window and kill herself. You don't know what freedom means to an artist and a man.

[SugarTomAppleRoger]

@PureSoapCleans Why say things like that? You know it is rubbish. When I went there, the people were quite happy. Ulanova loved her country and her country loved her too. They even made her Prima Ballerina Assoluta.

[PureSoapCleans]

@SugarTomAppleRoger, Do you think that Ulanova was going to tell you the opposite? Your ignorance about freedom in a totalitarian regime stands out. Do you think that Ulanova was going to say the opposite to you? You must read what she said and wrote after the fall of communism in USSR. Read also Maya Plisetskaya's memoirs. I am related to that world and I know what I am talking about more than you will ever know. Good luck to you and get better informed.

[SugarTomAppleRoger]

@PureSoapCleans Why do you say such things? I met Ulanova once after a concert in London. Thats right. London. She did not give me some political diatribe about her love of the United States or suchlike. I remembered she said "I'm glad you liked the performance". People don't speak like that now. They were simple folk then, not "celebs".

[PureSoapCleans]

The best thing that happened to Baryshnikov was to defect from the totalitarian USSR.

[Smashthathardrive0]

The best thing that happened to Baryshnikov was that he was born an amazing dancer.

[MrsWren79]

Now that is one beautiful step for two

[babazinhogyan]

ela existem melhores... agora ele é magnifico!!!

[GabbyGenevieve]

He is amazing and she is pretty good, but I have to admit he is better with Gelsey Kirkland.

[frenchpastry109]

honestly, im not so impressed with her.

misha- WOW. he was great

[MrNocco]

woah that was great!

what bothers me is that misha is almost better here than he is in later videos... i guess when he got stardom and got less "hungry" he didnt "eat" quite as much anymore :P

[kdub10009]

Interesting arm placement in the promenade. So amazing to see young Misha and the divine Semenyaka.

[pediatrapaola]

l saw micha live 3 times in italy 75 and one was don q in venice with kirkland,he was much better ,more strong highter jumping ,and not less fast,was really umbelivle

[ralucagymnast]

Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. There arent enough superlatives to describe this.

[brandonstylee311]

MAGNIFICENT. holy christ.

[tanzsternchen]

Wonderful!

Just lovely!

[flubished811]

But this clip is from 1977- 31 years ago! I imagine Bari has long since retired.

[AkiraChan24]

I believe he still dances, though I may be wrong. I believe, though, that he still performs sometimes.

[gambasnez]

It just moves my heart so much seeing those two so young. and so beautiful... My god ! Ludmila was what, 16 ? never saw a video of her young, she was so lovely, so fantastic. and Misha, I just can say one thing - I'd marry him !! Great video :)

[tadzeo12]

mi favorito, yoli

[poursuivant1]

You do realize that he was 20 and she was 16 in this vid right?

But you're certainly entitled to your opinions. I love Paloma too but Angel, at any age, is not my favorite.

[merluzasfritas]

please, please, can you be serious?You must think a grand jette is a pizza with pepperoni, i do not find an other explanation for your coment

[HoneyRyder]

Baryshnikov is the MAN!!!!! I would have been on that! hahahaha

[Flaflaronio]

Holy bejesus.

[mononoke1972]

What a beautiful man!

[dmc0531]

The guy's turn sequences were phenomenal.

[CaptainJenna7]

amen to that--baryshnikov is amazing

[AkiraChan24]

that moment at like 4:12 is amazing!

[yamilalopez23]

Hermoso videooo!!!

Sinceramente me emociona ver bailar a Mikhail baryshnikov!!!

Precioso el Pas de Deux de Don Quijote!!!!

[jpchiesa]

This performance of DQ is the one that all others will be judged by. They rock. MB could have played in the NBA and LS could have gotten a gold in women's volleyball. Instead they chose to express their physical and artistic genius through dance. The world is a better place because of this.

[danielsvitjar]

i dunno man baryshnikov has the jumping power and i have great respect for his work (being a male dancer myself) but the dude was like 5'7 i think he would have had a hard time in the NBA

[jpchiesa]

Like many Russian youths, he became involved in sports,. While he would one day be famous for his prodigious vertical leaps, at a mature height of five feet, seven inches, he now laughs off the idea that he might have tried basketball.The gravity defying quality that makes dancers (and basketball players like Michael Jordan appear to hang in the air) is called ballon in the ballet world and Baryshnikov had this gift......One name; Spud Web NBA superstar 5'6"

[cca1954]

Mikhail forever!!!!

[Andante735]

This is one of the finest performances of the pas ever recorded. Regardless of time, this will always stand alone. I had no idea that Semenyaka coaches Zakharova, I'm surprised considering the artistically vaccous performances she gives. She's got astounding technique, but IMO it ends there. I find her disappointing in that sense, but she's exciting to watch for pure virtouso.

[Nebullah9]

Потрясающе! Каждый раз смотрю и не могу насмотреться

[mrlopez2681]

now Semenyaka coaches Svetlana Zakharova

[ballet4evernever]

shes amazing i love seriously baryshnikov hes a legend but... i prefer nureyev

[sakartvelo200884]

genia tantsa...

[Ryan935]

Nice!

[AnneSavina71]

Fantastic...THANK YOU!

[GosfordAbercrombie]

Her fouettes are dreadful!!!!!

[swanningaround]

Gosford. Yer right! Hope you are joking. You are, aren't you?

[Andante735]

I don't think he is joking. That's the kind of statement you get from someone who's really not that insightful, or perhaps just shallow.

[Andante735]

What's so dreadful about them? She doesn't travel, and they're perfectly centered. Compared to today's technique they might be considered a but under the bar, but for that time they were top-notch.

[GosfordAbercrombie]

She may be centered but it appears like she's about to tip over at any second!!!! And you're correct, judging by what I've seen from other excellent ballet dancers, hers are under the bar!!!!

[cherishiskisa]

IMHO, they excel by far any modern dancers. As my grandmother says, modern ballet is "just an exercise", while this video has soul.

[vanillabean001]

i don't agree with you whatsoever. while many people care only for turns/jumps/etc, you cannot possibly say that about everyone. that includes me. i see fiestiness i suppose, but look at paloma herrera, alessandra ferri.. they have passion. so do many others but i'm just thinking of some. (btw, alessandra retired, true, but only a of couple years ago.)

[cherishiskisa]

well, like I said, it's not my opinion. my grandma thinks so. i agree w/ u.

[vanillabean001]

i agree! these dancers were amazing for the time!! and i'm not just saying that because i'm stupid and no nothing. i've seen some of the best of the best.

[affectivity]

He was the only male to divert everyone's attention from whoever he happened to be partnering.

It wasn't just because of his technique. He played to the audiences, who loved that.

[nessieroxmysox]

he's amazing. literally, like THE best ballet dancer to walk the face of the earth! beautiful. he's incredible in the white nights

bravo mikhail!

[AlonsoArdjuna]

супер

[PrettyDancer777]

breathtaking! i mean he was naturally perfect an great and all the other adjectives :D, but she was sooooooo perfect, too!!! having this precision in that high speed, wow... it's just incredible...both of them....

[Nebullah9]

My favourite pair, who danced Don Quixote!!

Just incredible

[AoibheannStateira]

I wonder how many times they had to do those spins so that they didn't loose times with the music...

[terrilinnrooks]

dancers turn. skaters spin. and ne'er the twain shall meet.

[AoibheannStateira]

Oops, lol. Sorry!!!

[nate196876]

is that a special show ? I mean , how do they stand on there toes like that ! unreal!

[anaminalwafdi]

Bravo! Thanks!

[znarf541]

What a phenom!!!

[LilacQueen406]

They both did great:-D

[pescatarian09]

He makes an actual ballerina look sluggish.

Forgive me for this, but you know what I mean.

[Andante735]

No I don't know what you mean. Semenyaka was a brilliant dancer, and nothing close to sluggish. What you're really saying is that Baryshnikov is so impressive, that it's hard to pay attention to her. I think they're extremely well paired.

[Andante735]

Also, pay attention to the fact that Misha raised the standards of technique so high, that even today many can't reach it. Ala seconde with inside attitude, followed by 6 pirouettes at that time was unheard of.

[aircat29]

GOD only was two childs!!!!

[mutzkikatzki1]

LEGENDARY!!!!!!!! not only the dancing - the emotions!!! I was crying...

[BallerinaButt1864]

does anyone know what choreography this is? is it original petipa?

[dancerpsique]

MY GOOOOD!

bravo!

[pbm5q]

Superlative performance!

[AllegroBallerina]

OH MY GOOOOD THIS IS AMAAAZING!!! She is absolutely fantastic and of course, so is Misha!

[paulypaulypaul]

Her variation is sooooooo fast!!!!!!

[KamillAriston]

My favorite Don Quixote pas de deux.

And Baryshnikov's grand pirouettes are amazing!!!

[Catandbunny]

Just perfect

[palabraserrantes]

Bravo Misha!!!!!!! I love you!!!!!!!!

[Tanblondalex]

A rare magnificent performance