There are many genius of the dance that through their steps and body's harmonic movements shows us to feel and to vibrate the music and dance. We could need hundreds of pages to write with the names and give tribute to these dancers; however we show only some of the most representatives in the list below:
Anna Pavlova
January 31, 1881 – January 23, 1931 |
| Place of birth: Ligovo a suburb of Saint Petersburg - Russia |
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| Style: Ballet dancer |
Characteristics:
- Russian finest classical ballet
- She was the first ballerina who traveling around the world
- Created the modern pointe shoe
- Famous by her role in “The Dying Swan”
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Short Biography:
She was a famous Russian ballet dancer of the late 19th and the early 20th century. Anna Pavlova studied with the Imperial Ballet School, She made her debut at 17 years old, and by 1906 she had become in an important dancer, she is best known for altering the ideals for ballet dancers. She was the first ballerina to travel around the world; in 1907 she made her first foreign tour, and in 1908, on her second, with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, also in 1912 established her own school of dance. Pavlova is a legend well-known for her famous dance "The Dying Swan". |
Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov
January 27, 1948 - present |
| Place of birth: Riga, Latvia - Russia |
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| Style: Ballet dancer |
Characteristics:
- Russian American ballet dancer, choreographer and actor
- He joined the New York City ballet as a principal dancer
- Artistic director of the American Ballet Theatre
- He starred in the last season of Sex and the City
- He is recognized as the best living male ballet dancer
- His successes as a dramatic actor on stage, cinema and television has facilitated him become possibly the most widely known modern ballet dancer
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Short Biography:
He is a Soviet-born Russian American dancer, choreographer, and actor. When he was young he was accepted by the Leningrad Choreographic School and started his dancer career, after he joined the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, but his technique and his moves became him in a soloist. He is recognized as the best living male ballet dancer; in 1977 he made his film debut in "The Turning Point", after that he has had roles in film, as he starred in the last period of Sex and the City. His successes as a dramatic actor on stage, cinema and television has facilitated him become possibly the most widely known modern ballet dancer. Today, Mikhail quit ballet for injuries, but is co-founded a dance organization called "White Oak Dance Project". |
Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev
March 17, 1938 - January 6, 1993 |
| Place of birth: Train near Irkutsk, Siberia - Soviet Union |
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| Style: Ballet dancer |
Characteristics:
- The most celebrated ballet dancer from the Soviet Union and also actor ant the best male dancers of the 20th century, beside Vaslav Nijinsky and Mikhail Baryshnikov
- Explored the expression side of the dance and not only as a support of women
- Participated in a revival of the Broadway musical “The King and I” and was director of the Paris Opera Ballet
- He likes collect carpet and antique textiles.
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Short Biography:
Russian-born and was a recognized dancer, mainly known for his work in ballet, today is considerate one of the most celebrated dancer of 20th century. He is remembered by many critics as one of the best male dancers; he developed new skills for ballet and provided a new role to males in the ballet dance beside Vaslav Nijinsky and Mikhail Baryshnikov. |
Alvin Ailey, Jr.
January 5, 1931 – December 1, 1989 |
| Place of birth: Rogers, Texas |
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| Style: Modern dance |
Characteristics:
- American contemporary dancer and choreographer
- Recognized for choreography using Lester Horton, ethnic African, and Afro-Caribbean methods.
- He established his own dance company the “Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater” in 1958, which showcased the work of other black choreographers
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Short Biography:
Alvin Ailey was an American contemporary dancer, choreographer and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York, he born in Rogers, Texas. Dancer recognized for choreography using Lester Horton, ethnic African, and Afro-Caribbean methods. In 1953 he debut in Horton's Revue Le Bal Caribe and performed in several Hollywood films and also studied other arts such as painting, acting and music, In 1958 he established his own dance company which showcased the work of other black choreographers. |
Michael J. Jackson
August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009 |
| Place of birth: Gary, Indiana – USA |
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| Style: Pop dancer |
Characteristics:
- American recording artist, dancer, choreographer, singer, song-writer, musician and business philanthropist
- Pop star of the 1980s
- He impressed audiences with eye-popping dance moves, especially one called the "moonwalk”
- He showed and incredible ability for rhythm and dance at very young age
- He becoming a pop icon and named the "King of Pop”
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Short Biography:
He was an artist, dancer, singer, songwriter, musician, and philanthropist, is also called as "King of Pop" and became in a pop icon in the entire world. His career started in 1964 with his brothers as a member of "The Jackson 5", but in 1971 began his solo career, he had an incredible ability for rhythm and dance at a very young age and impressed audiences with eye-popping dance moves, in his music videos for his songs he popularized a number of dance techniques such as the robot or the moonwalk. |
Samuel George “Sammy” Davis, Jr.
December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990 |
| Place of birth: Harlem, New York - USA |
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| Style: Tap dancer |
Characteristics:
- American dancer, singer and multi-instrumentalist
- Also known as Sammy Davis
- Remembered principally for his tap dancing talent
- He began tap dancing at the age of four
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Short Biography:
Sammy Davis Jr was an American dancer, singer and entertainer. He was a member of Frank Sinatra's "Rat Pack" and also is remembered for his performances as an artist and television and film star in Broadway and in Las Vegas. He was an African American, for this reason, he was a victim of racism throughout his life, anyway he toured with Sinatra, Dean Martin and Liza Minelli in 1987, before he died of throat cancer in 1990, in his career he awarded the Spingarn Medal by the NAACP and posthumously the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and was nominated for the Golden Globe and Emmy Award. |
Martha Graham
May 11, 1894 - April 1, 1991 |
| Place of birth: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – USA |
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| Style: Modern dance |
Characteristics:
- American dancer and choreographer for over 70 years
- The pioneer of modern dance that dared to initiative to modern dance moves.
- She expose the passion, the fury and the ecstasy common to human experience to invented a new language of movement
- The first dancer ever to execute at The White House
- The first dancer ever to travel abroad as a cultural ambassador
- The first dancer ever to obtain the highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom
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Short Biography:
Martha Graham was an American dancer and choreographer. She is identified as the pioneer of modern dance. She dared to initiate new, modern dance moves to the world. Graham invented a new language of movement, and used it to expose the passion, the fury and the ecstasy common to human experience. In 1926, she established the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance and in the same year she debuted with her first independent concert. She danced and choreographed for over seventy years, and throughout that time was the first dancer ever to execute at The White House, the first dancer ever to travel abroad as a cultural ambassador, and the first dancer ever to obtain the highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom and is recognized as one of the most important people of the 20th century. |
Fred Astaire (Frederick Austerlitz)
May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987 |
| Place of birth: Omaha, Nebraska - United States |
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| Style: Dancer |
Characteristics:
- Well known in American film and Broadway dancer
- He was an American Academy Award-winning film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor
- His stage and successive film career extended a total of seventy-six years
- He made thirty-one musical films
- He starring with Ginger Rogers in musical films
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Short Biography:
Fred Astaire was a American film stage dancer choreographer, actor and singer; he started his career with his sister Adele, was called "Astaire", they danced in cabarets, vaudeville houses and music halls, after he tried to join to Hollywood and in some months he act in some films also became in a music film producer. His stage and successive film career extended a total of seventy-six years, throughout which he made thirty-one musical films. He is recognized for starring with Ginger Rogers in musical films. |
Gregory Oliver Hines
February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003 |
| Place of birth: New York City, New York - U.S. |
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| Style: Tap dancer |
Characteristics:
- American dancer principally known for his exceptional tap dancing aptitudes
- He was a Tony Award-winning American actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer
- He performed in various dance movies, including White Nights and Tap
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Short Biography
Gregory Hines was an American dancer principally known for his exceptional tap dancing aptitudes, he started to dance at an early age and with their brothers and fathers, they was known as "Hines, Hines and Dad", in 1954 he debuted in Broadway with his brother in "The Girl in Pink Tights". He was a Tony Award-winning American actor, singer, dancer, and choreographer. He performed in various dance movies, including White Nights and Tap. |
John Joseph Travolta
February 18, 1954 – present |
| Place of birth: Englewood, New Jersey - USA |
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| Style: Dancer |
Characteristics:
- American actor, dancer, and singer
- He is an Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe Award-winning
- He is well-known with his slick dance moves, increased fame through his dancing roles in Saturday Night Fever and Grease, Pulp Fiction, Hairspray, and Battlefield Earth
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Short Biography:
John Travolta is an Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe Award-winning American actor, dancer, and singer; when he was a child, his mother enrolled him in a Drama schools, where he studied dancing, acting and voice, at his 16, he worked in the production of musical "Bye bye Birdie" after he worked in television commercials. He moved to Hollywood and appeared in minor roles in some television series. Today, he is well-known with his slick dance moves, increased fame through his dancing roles in Saturday Night Fever and Grease, Pulp Fiction, Hairspray, and Battlefield Earth. |
Eugene Curran “Gene” Kelly
August 23 1912 – February 2, 1996 |
| Place of birth: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – USA |
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| Style: Dancer |
Characteristics:
- American dancer, actor, director, singer and choreographer
- He is remembered for his highly vigorous and athletic dancing technique, his good looks and the pleasant characters that he played on screen
- He is well-known for his performance in Singin' in the Rain
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Short Biography:
Gene is an American dancer, actor, director, singer, producer, and choreographer; he is remembered for his highly vigorous, energetic and athletic dancing technique, his good looks and the pleasant characters that he played on screen. His debut in Broadway was as a dancer in "Cole Porter's Leave It to Me!" after he worked as a choreographer in several films. Today, he is well-known for his performance in Singin' in the Rain. |
Patrick Swayze
August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009 |
| Place of birth: Houston, Texas - USA |
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| Style: Dancer |
Characteristics:
- American dancer, actor, and songwriter
- His well-known movie characters have been the romantic guides in the 1987 film “Dirty Dancing”, and the 1990 film “Ghost”
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Short Biography:
Patrick Swayze is a famous American dancer, actor, singer and songwriter. He debuted as a dancer for Disney on Parade, after he got a film role in "Ace" and also joined in a TV series. His well-known movie characters have been the romantic guides in the 1987 film "Dirty Dancing", and the 1990 film "Ghost", in 2009 he performed his last role in an A&E TV series, but it was canceled because he died in this year with a pancreatic cancer. |
Marie Anne de Cupis de Camargo
April 15, 1710 - April 28, 1770 |
| Place of birth: Brussels - France |
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| Style: Dancer |
Characteristics:
- Ballerina of Spanish descent and accredited with the 90-degree turnout and entrechat-quatre
- Her originalities incorporated shortening her costume so that her unusually complicated footwork could be seen by the audience
- She also extended her technique by eliminating the heels of her slippers
- She wore long, adjusted undergarments that became the basic ballet tights
- Extremely popular, she had many gourmet dishes named for her by the chef Escoffier
- She was principally related with the Paris Opera
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Short Biography:
She was born in Brussels, Belgium, of Spanish descent. is also was called "La Camargo". Ballerina accredited with the 90-degree turnout and entrechat-quatre. Her originalities incorporated shortening her costume so that her unusually complicated footwork could be seen by the audience. She introduced innovations in to ballet such as the change from heeled shoes to slippers. She wore long, adjusted undergarments that became the basic ballet tights. Extremely popular, she had many gourmet dishes named for her by the chef Escoffier. She was principally related with the Paris Opera.
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