Mikhail Baryshnikov Part III: Turns and Tours

From the start of his career in the late 1960s at the Kirov Ballet until the 1980s at American Ballet Theatre, Baryshnikov has thrilled crowds in classical ballet roles with his great athleticism exemplified by gravity defying jumps and endless turns. These videos attempt to show how he accomplished these amazing feats. I hope the videos are of use to dancers seeking insight on the mechanics of the steps through slow motion and stop action replays; non-dancers with appreciation for his great work; and those with an interest in learning ballet terms. This series consists of three videos: (1) turns, (2) jumps, and (3) turns and jumps combined with difficult to categorize steps. Each runs about 15 minutes and analyzes his steps, pointing out important aspects of each movement. Part I shows Baryshnikov's remarkable turns. My favorite clips are his nine pirouettes from Don Quixote; his turns in plié from Le Corsaire; and several examples of his turns in attitude (leg bent behind him) converting to regular turns in retiré (foot touching his knee). Also, a great scene from White Nights in which has a bet with Gregory Hines on whether Baryshnikov can do 11 pirouettes. Guess who wins the bet! Part II gives examples of his powerful jumps such as high double cabrioles (legs beating in front); tour de reins (a favorite of Baryshnikov's); and his double jete entrelacé, a wonderful step he used often. Part III shows off his pirouettes and tour combinations. Pirouettes followed by a double tour is an exciting sequence. The dancer generates substantial momentum from the turns, with abundant energy going into the tour from fifth position. The pirouette/tour sequence is common in male solos, particularly at the end of a solo when the dancer goes to one knee. Baryshnikov’s turn and tour combinations were spectacular. The last segment of Part III is his hard to characterize steps. With his exceptional leaping and turning abilities, Baryshnikov could do amazing things. Some of the steps were spectacular and unique, leading a viewer to ask, “That’s great! What is it?” Some of the clips are wild.