Vaslav Nijinsky
Pioneering male dancer and choreographer, celebrated for intensity and virtuosity.
Chronology: 1889-03-12 – 1950-04-08
Origins & Early Life
Vaslav or Vatslav Fomich Nijinsky (12 March 1889/1890 – 8 April 1950) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer of Polish ancestry. He is regarded as the greatest male dancer of the early 20th century. He is often associated with the Ballets Russes and its impresario Sergei Diaghilev, for which he choreographed such influential ballets as L'après-midi d'un faune (1912), Le Sacre du Printemps (1913), Jeux (1913), and Till Eulenspiegel (1916). He was celebrated for his virtuosity and for the depth and intensity of his characterizations.
Pivotal Works & Achievements
He could dance en pointe, a rare skill among male dancers at the time, and was admired for his seemingly gravity-defying leaps. == Biography == Vaslav Nijinsky was born in 1889 or 1890 in Kiev, Russian Empire (now Ukraine), as Wacław Niżyński, to ethnic Polish parents, touring dancers Tomasz Niżyński (born 7 March 1862) and Eleanora Bereda (born 28 December 1856). Nijinsky was christened in Warsaw. He identified himself as Polish although he grew up in the interior of Russia with his parents and he had difficulty speaking Polish. Eleanora, along with her two brothers and two sisters, was orphaned while still a child.
Enduring Legacy & Impact
She started to earn a living as...
Source: Wikipedia