Mikhail Baryshnikov

Mikhail Baryshnikov (born 1948) is a Latvian-born ballet dancer, choreographer, and actor. He trained at the Vaganova School in Leningrad and became a leading dancer with the Kirov Ballet. In 1974 he defected from the Soviet Union while on tour in Canada and later built a major career in the United States. Baryshnikov danced with the American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet, and served as artistic director of American Ballet Theatre in the 1980s. He also acted in film and television and founded the Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City.