Latvian-born dancer, now based in the USA. He joined the Kirov Ballet in 1966 and, after defecting from the USSR in 1974, joined the American Ballet Theater (ABT) as principal dancer, partnering Gelsey Kirkland. He left to join the New York City Ballet (197880), but rejoined ABT as director 198090. From 1990 he has danced for various companies including his own modern dance company, White Oak Project. His physical prowess and amazing aerial feats have combined with an impish sense of humour and dash to make him one of the most accessible of dancers.
He has created many roles, for example in Twyla
Tharp's
Push Comes to Shove (1976) and in Jerome
Robbins's
Opus 19 (1979). He made his film debut in
The Turning Point (1978) and has since acted in other films, including
White Nights (1985),
That's Dancing! (1985), and
Dancers (1987). He made his dramatic stage debut in
Metamorphosis 1989.
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