There is perhaps no male dancer more significant, more celebrated, and more influential than Rudolf Nureyev. There was nothing particularly special about Nureyev’s humble beginnings in Ufa, the capital of the Soviet Republic of Bashkir. But as he grew, he developed a talent so immense and a spirit so full of passion that he touched the lives of millions around the world. From his controversial defection from the U.S.S.R. to his courageous battle against AIDS, Nureyev did everything with character, nonconformity, and incomparable charm.

Photo courtesy of the Rudolf Nureyev Foundation

Nureyev was born on March 17, 1938 aboard the Trans-Siberian Express Railway, near Lake Baikal. He was the youngest of four children and the only boy in the family. When he was 3, Germany invaded the U.S.S.R. and his father was called to service until 1946. His mother Farida struggled to keep the family healthy, but food and resources were scarce. His ticket out was ballet; he saw a performance in 1945 and decided he was going to become a dancer.

He began taking folk dancing lessons in school and later studied ballet under Anna Udeltsova and Elena Vaitovich, both of whom had danced professionally. They noticed young Nureyev’s potential and urged him to study in Leningrad. Although he was accepted to the Bolshoi Ballet School, he ultimately decided to study at the Vaganova Academy (Kirov Ballet School) in 1955 at the age of 17, where he trained under Alexander Pushkin.

Nureyev spent two years at the Kirov school and upon graduation received a contract to dance with the company. During his three years with the Kirov, he partnered all of the company’s ballerinas and performed lead roles in “Don Quixote,” “Giselle,” “La Bayadère,” “The Sleeping Beauty” and “Swan Lake.” Nureyev had gained a reputation not only as a gifted performer, but also as a troublemaker. He danced to his own rhythm, quite literally, and often walked out of the studio or rehearsal during arguments with directors and choreographers.

When the company went on tour in Paris in 1961, Nureyev did something that went down in history. He “defected,” or in other words he refused to return to Moscow despite orders from the KGB. French officials granted him permission to stay, and Nureyev began his new life in the West where he was free.

In 1961, he made his London debut and received an offer from the Royal Ballet to dance “Giselle” with Margot Fonteyn, and so began another chapter in Nureyev’s life. His partnership with Fonteyn was epic; not only were they brilliant together on stage as artists, but they maintained a meaningful friendship even after the curtain fell. Although the age difference was great (Nureyev was 23 and Fonteyn was 42 when they began working together), the two remained lifelong friends.

Nureyev danced throughout Europe and the U.S., taking over a hundred roles by more than 40 choreographers, including Frederick Ashton, George Balanchine, Martha Graham, Kenneth MacMillan and Paul Taylor. His range as a performer was unprecedented—from contemporary to classical, melancholy to humorous, there was nothing Nureyev couldn’t do, including choreograph.

In 1983, he became the ballet director at the Paris Opera, a position he held for six years. His contract allowed him to continue guest performing with other companies while handling his responsibilities by phone. During this time, his health and stamina began to decline after learning he was HIV positive. Nureyev shifted his career goals and began dabbling in film and later in music, still determined to work as much as possible despite his weakening condition.

Although he had planned to continue working, he succumbed to the illness and died of AIDS related complications on Jan. 6, 1993. He was 54. Perhaps the most technically proficient and charismatic performer of all time, Rudolf Nureyev changed the perception of and raised the standard for male dancers. His brilliant legacy will live on indefinitely.

World AIDS day is Dec. 1. To get involved, visit http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/. For more information on Nureyev, visit http://www.nureyev.org/.

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