My list of Top 10 ballerinas

You can also watch this video I made about Svetlana Zakharova!!
• Svetlana Zakharova - T...
Thankyou!!

[@jordanconley3793]

The operative words are in the title: "for me". I'm sure we could all add to the list, but these are her personal choices. This is a perfectly respectable list. Thanks for posting.

[@amalteafigueroasoto3102]

Respeto. tu elección. Pero tal vez deberías hacer una lista, más. larga: Dónde está Natalia. Makarova, Ekaterina Maximova, Galina.Mezentzeva, Altynay Asylmuratova, Carla Fracci. y nada menos que. Ulyana Lopatkina?...

[@lmarti204]

For me Gelsey Kirkland and Natasha Makarova should have been on the list.

[@audreycoulbourn5651]

My favorite ballerina is Svetlana Zacharova

[@Lexusblago]

Uliana Lopatkina???

[@anniemihn]

Great list! But I'd also consider Galina Ulanova, Natalia Makharova, Sylvie Gillem, Alessandra Ferri and Gelsey Kirkland

[@magalilunamassaro775]

Yes!! Svetlana is the best!

[@tigereyes5]

No people she didn't forget or leave out anything. Hello??? It's HER/HIS list of favourite dancers. It's a subjective stance. This isn't claiming to be the official list of top dancers in the world. Why don't you all share your own opinions and stop lambasting this video for its opinion. Here's mine (1st two are top spots and rest in no particular order) 1. Alina Cojacaru 2. Ekaterina Maksimova 3. Aurelie Dupont 4. Nina Ananiashvili 5. Carla Fracci 6. Gillian Murphy 7. Zenaida Yanowsky 8. Darcey Bussell 9. Miyako Yoshida 10. Yulia Makahalina There are so many great dancers out there of past and present. People choose their lists on preference not just because someone is deemed legendary. Thanks for sharing your list MarLefMou!

[@MarLefMou]

Thanks for your support and for sharing your list with me!!!

[@tigereyes5]

You're welcome!

[@joseencalada7711]

uliana lopatkina

[@fabiesque]

+Lili Travaglia ahahahah NOW that's a roaster! (-: I am kidding...everyone has the right to his own taste...but have you considered Guillem...Kahlfouni...Ferri....Kirkland...maybe you like them more than Shelby Dyer and Asuka Sasaki! (-.

[@TorontoIam]

+tigereyes5 Thank you as well!

[@Lexusblago]

Lopatkina is the best adagio dancer ever! Thanx for Alina been listed! She is her airness!!! Never mind of her xstyle legs )))) l love it )))

[@TheOlgaivanova]

Nina Kaptsova is not mentioned. She is one of the best for me and her many fans!

[@LaternaMagicaDance]

Zakharova is too neutral and rigid, Obraztsova, Guillem, Lopatkina, Cojocaru and Marianela Nunez are really artists for me!!

[@alexandra3ogden]

Gelsey Kirkland??? She was a gorgeous example of perfection, grace, speed, and stamina in the ballet world.

[@GriselSosaZignago]

1. Sylvie Guillem!!

[@MiraLouise]

What about Evgenia Obraztsova!

[@christinedaae1986]

Svetlana is my favorite! I love her so much, she is my ballet role model!!!!!

[@webqueen321]

I really love Zakharova and Murphy. But I think Zakharova is too good. It seems like she alsways wants to present herself with perfect moves. So you're always concentrated on her moves not on the figure she has to present. Gillian Murphy is not as good as she is but when she's dancing I feel the character she' presenting. I can feel the story. So I think Zakharova is the very best dancer and Murphy the best actor but both are (nearly) perfect to me! But that's only my opinion. Sorry if I done some mistakes I'm a 14 years old German.

[@peter.holoda]

1: Sylvie Guillem!!!!!

[@LauraAlli]

People get so offended when Zakharova is rated as one of the best ballerinas. They always like to bring up how rigid or cold she is OR how her extensions are too gymnastic and unnecessary.... Zakharova is in a league of her own and that takes nothing away from ballerinas who are dancing now or who have come before her. She is otherworldly and an ARTIST. Having seen her live I can't say I could fully comprehend she was even human lol.

[@mariavarecka2618]

Unfortunately, I never saw Zakharova live, but I watch the hell out of her on youtube.com. I agree, there is something "otherworldly" about her. Her arms are simply the best. My feeling is that when she dances, she looks like an expensive piece of jewelry.

[@hidayatosman4786]

Your comments is the best

[@carlotaargemi8114]

I agree with 2) Osipova and 3) Vishneva... But where is "the Unicorn of Ballet" = ULYANA LOPATKINA???? I know why you didn't include her.... she is more than a ballerina, she is an Eternal Goddess. BEST EVER FOR ME!

[@stephaniecruvant9130]

Osipova, with her truly incomparable artistry, IS Swanhilda, portraying her clever humor, irrepressible spirit and abstract understanding of human nature ( wheat dance) as she grows into her womanhood. A remarkable and balanced performance of unparalleled perfection and a gift to this generation and history of "the dance".

[@eileenazeff14]

I agree

[@ileanamuntean7338]

The best dancer in the history of ballet.

[@vitocortesi9389]

I'm agree with you Zakharova is the best ballerina in the world

[@christinedaae1986]

I know; she is my ballet role model! I want to dance just like her!

[@peace-now]

She is very good. Probably better than any mentioned here. For services to ballet, and fame, Anna Pavlova is and will be surely number one. She is like Caruso when it comes to singing. Anna made ballet popular for everyone. She was as famous then as Beyonce is now.

[@jenniferjones1728]

As I watched your countdown, I had to figure Natalia Makarova #1. I was surprised but what a nice list and thanks for sharing. It's my new "name your top 10" game :)

[@otherdelight]

They are all beautiful, but Ekatarina Maximova is one of my number 1's....

[@bianquita1]

Everyone should watch Maya Plisetskaya Bolero!!! It's amazing!

[@nereabaranda8578]

Svet lana eres increíble. Maravillosa. Seminova también está entre mis favoritas. La Escuela Rusa nos ha dado lo más puro técnicamente tanto técnicamente como artísticamente. Tal vez el precio de su disciplina ha sido tremendo para bailarinas que no se ajustaban a los cánones de belleza que se pedían, pero las que triunfaron sólo puedo DECIR EXCELENCIA Y BELLEZA. Ellas me permiten y seguirán haciéndome AMAR LA DANZA. GRACIAS

[@настянастя-х1к]

Bianca K Yes. /and Bolero was creared for her, /she was number one to dance it.

[@настянастя-х1к]

Bianca K Yes. /and Bolero was creared for her, /she was number one to dance it.

[@peace-now]

+Bianca K Absolutely. They should watch Pierina Legnani in Swan Lake also. The solo in act 3 of 'Swan Lake' was written by Tchaikovsky specially for her. Only Galina Ulanova is so well respected. Sergei Prokoviev (composer) "She is the genius of Russian ballet, its elusive soul, its inspired poetry. Ulanova imparts to her interpretation of classical roles a depth of expression unheard of in twentieth century ballet."

[@ShelkS777]

Ekaterina Maximova is not mentioned! It's unbelievable.

[@Larissa16016]

Paloma Herrera, Viengsay Valdez, Viviana Durante, Alessandra Ferri, Larissa Leshnina, Yoko Morishita, Cynthia Gregory, Cecília Kerche, Cinthia Harvey, Altinay Asylmuratova.

[@rodeobadoeyenhausen]

I cannot understand how you can exclude Ekatarina Maximova ? But I suppose this is your top ten and not mine !

[@Victoria-tk2uh]

All ten places - Sylvie Guillem, Sylvie Guillem, Sylvie Guillem etc, etc, etc, - Sylvie is the GREATEST PHENOMENON IN THE HISTORY OF CLASSICL BALLET. None of the Russians can match the divine Sylvie. it is as simple as that.

[@psycatemy]

i agree completly. I just watched the black swan variations. 20 years later she stay the best.

[@janwintz8372]

Fascinating to read everyone's remarks here!!...especially the apparent consensus!! (So difficult to have favorites when there are hundreds to name!) Jan

[@marineljenkings553]

Yes I agree! There are so many extraordinary dancers!

[@nicolasnegrin5292]

obrazova, tereskhina, olesya, sadaise, lunkhina de best too.

[@edwardcharleshanna8416]

not necessarily my views.... Diana Vishneva as way down......crazy.. mind you number 1 Zakharova is correct!

[@snejinas1]

also Nina Ananiashvili and Silvie Guillem

[@peace-now]

Correct. Ulanova was well regarded in the Soviet Union also.

[@Andrey0776]

Ульяна Лопаткина самая лучшая!

[@sarapedron7883]

my favority ballerina is evgenia obrazsova

[@balletshoes]

It is intersting you did not know about Uliana Lopatkina back then, but you knew about Alina Somova. Anyway! Nice listing!

[@bluesman1929]

You are absolutely right. The hyper-exquisite Svetlana Zakharova is No.1!!!!

[@Jordan12295]

What is the name of the first song with Carmen?

[@ИринаКругловаМарозова]

Мне показалось что Светлана Захарова самая яркая выразительная и технически очень сильная Безупречная

[@peace-now]

You are kidding! What about Pierina Legnani??? I mean hello. Tchaikovsky had to revise Swan Lake for her. What about Ekaterina Vazem? I mean she was the original Nikiya and taught Anna Pavlova to dance. What about Ulanova? These are the greats. They will be remembered long after most of those you mention other than Plisetskaya and Fonteyn.

[@annapachaclarke2392]

Well...seeing as everyone is scrapping over greatest love for ballerina!!! How dare anyone miss Natalia Makharova...cos no one touches her...although young Olga Smirnova is the beginning of a miraculous new breed! FACT!!!!.

[@DehManesBllt]

I never "liked" dancers as Baryshnikov, Nureyev, Fontein and even Bessmertnova and Vasyuchenko. They are not icons for me. I really prefer Volodia and Katia, Mukhamedov, Bogatyrev and others.

[@sedekiman]

I realize these are a personal list but I don't understand the attraction of stick thin, dead hands, over the top dramatics, and over extensions which I find particularly ugly and necessitate a change to the speed of the music. How ballet has changed, and in my opinion, in many ways not for the better.

[@peace-now]

I think Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinksi and Pierina Legnani will be remembered long after Ms Zakharova. She is good, but not great.

[@alexzaits3295]

i agree!!lopatkina is my number one!!!

[@staybeautiful0559]

Evgenia obrastzova its one of the most beautiful ballerinas in the world

[@linlopez7388]

svetlana zhakarova and polina semionova are the best... I love them

[@WilesWales]

Gillian Murphy is a wonderful artist, an especially as seen in the 2nd Act of "Swan Lake," with Angel Corella, in the 2005 version. She is also an artist of the 1st degree in other ballets as well. I am glad that Angel got his dream and finally formed the "Corella Ballet" in Barcelona. He explaind in another video how much ballet is under appreciated in Spain, and had danced at the Kennedy Center, and shook Queen Elizabteth's hand, but not from the monarchy in his own country. What great artists

[@vladimmir100]

дурной вкус у автора

[@snejinas1]

and Ekaterina Maksimova

[@СветланаМедведева-д4й]

And the best of the best: ULYANA LOPATKINA!!!!!! Svetlana Zakharova -2!!!!!

[@carov822]

I think number 9 should have been number 1 :) The dying swan scene, is absolutely wonderful :)

[@peace-now]

+Caro Van den Broeck She is certainly No 1 on this list. Dying Swan? Check out Anna Pavlova who was trained by... Legnani (whose else). Legnani is Number 1 for me.

[@carov822]

I'll check it out surely!

[@WolligesHangschaf]

Nina Ananiashvili? Alicia Alonso? Pavlova Karsavina? Anna Pavlova?

[@Rach227204]

For me Margot Fonteyn witll always be the greatest artist... plus she got me most interested in ballet :D

[@alisonbrown2614]

For me Alina Cojocaru every time.

[@hopeemch]

What about Alessandra Ferri?

[@katesullivan4610]

Where was Makarova? Guillem?

[@MoneyTreeCare]

I really dig these types of videos. Great stuff as always. I just restarted doing my own top 5 clips again after making too many political vids. They are so fun to make, hope that I can get to the caliber here in time. Let me know if you guys and gals have any video ideas!!

[@Becksasaurus]

Gillian Murphy and those fouettes... Blows my mind every time.

[@carlosv1951]

When top ballerinas are mentioned is absolutely necessary to include Alicia Alonso, like Margot Fonteyn and Maya Plisetskaya

[@tigereyes5]

It this was an official list of top dancers I would agree with you. But as this is a personal list of favourites it isn't necessary to mention anyone other than whom the list creator favours the most, legendary or not.

[@altongrimes]

Fun that you have created this list ! There are so many wonderful artists out there, it's kind of hard to make a list. On my list, I would include Sylvie Guillem, Beatrice Knop, and the very beautiful Olga Smirnova, as well. Lists aren't so easy to make with all of these great ballerinas ! (:

[@joepeng3423]

Mine is Olesya Novikova

[@WilesWales]

She had 8 operations after that, is still the Director at 91 of the Ballet National de Cuba. Also, Gillian Murphy's fouttes are right on a postage stamp although this kind of fouette or any other deviating from the original 32 is easier to do. The momentum and force of the turn only then requires a head snap, etc. If one has seen this, Kevin McKenzie even says he decided to do this for show in 2005, as these were meant to clench Zigfried ultimately, and precipiate the tragedy. Thank you!

[@mariannasyranidou4743]

Plisetskaya just 9 ???!!??

[@Графоманство]

Maximova and Lopatkina.

[@bolero88881]

Thank you - beautiful video. My favorites would include Margot Fontaine, Altynai Asylmuratova, Kaleria Fedicheva, Gelsey Kirkland. Fedicheva is the most memorable dancer in my memory. I saw her in the Kirov in the 1960's.

[@kirstenevans1]

Ballerinas are painfully thin.

[@joepeng3423]

Mine is Olesya Novikova

[@kegaket6772]

Does anyone else find Svetlana Zakharova hard to watch? To my eye she is too tall and somewhat freakish looking, like a contortion artist. She is not graceful or charming to me because she's just too big and overly flexible. I understand and appreciate that those of you who are ballerinas admire her technical perfection and timing. You'll probably hate me for saying this, but I so much prefer watching Gelsey Kirkland dance. Admittedly, I'm like an Emperor Joseph II listening to Mozart ("too many notes.") But I'm just wondering if there are others who see what I see.

[@alainspiteri502]

@kegaket6772 : j remember very well Pierre Lacotte said in 2002 that Zakha is the first in the world j agree in this erea where she was at the beginning of her career but after it's an other thing ; in first Zakha is too tall for some roles j think about Aurora , a young teenager 16 y , " les Sylphides ' - Fokine or " La Sylphide " coreo Lacotte also ; j don't like her larges extensions over 180 degres ( better for gymnasts ) ; Zakha is great but can't danse everything to be credible j prefer a Star 40 y with an apparence of teenager for Giselle ; the Top of Zakha for me is Aegyne in " Spartacus GRigorovitch " the more erotical female for this role ; in fact a ,little as you

[@alainspiteri502]

it's necessary to write that j have never seen Zakharova in live very important , videos are not enough to judge it's a fact ..

[@kegaket6772]

Thank you for these insights,@@alainspiteri502

[@caviardebeluga]

#1 Svetlana Zakharova #2 Sylvie Guillem

[@yaralipe]

You have forgotten Evgenia Obrastzova... For me, she is the number 1...

[@Tamaziko]

Ananiashvili?????

[@hopeemch]

And Suzanne Farrell ?

[@melancolico1960]

Alicia Alonso in Giselle

[@martinmachin2932]

sylvie guillem

[@mindrolling24]

Great list, great clips. Taste is subjective and I think all of these dancers are beautiful, I also like Darcey Bussell and Cyd Charisse and Fred Astaire It's not merely technique that makes someone brilliant- 'feelings' come into it always.

[@janwintz8372]

Mindrolling Hi! So wonderful to see the utterly incomparable CYD CHARISSE mentioned here!!! Are you familiar with Celia Fushille-Burke? Think you'd love her! 😊 Jan

[@mariamartin8516]

I completely agree.

[@minissa2009]

Charming video! Thanks for showing a little footage for each and for including some greats of the past as well as present. My favorite ballerina of all time will probably always be Martine van Hamel, and it is depressingly hard to find footage of her apart from the few Live from Lincoln Center rep bills. But she was dancing in one of ballet's golden eras: Makarova, Gregory, Farrell. These days, I'm collecting what I can of Obraztsova. But Zhakarova: best White Swan pdd ever at Bolshoi gala!

[@anastasialenkova-molchalin5874]

I wish I could have lived in that golden era. Maybe we will enter another one, it looks like such a thing is coming soon.

[@mazapan4406]

My favorite Is Marianela Núñez and Margot fonteyn

[@AussieAngels10]

I love how most of them are Russian :')

[@TheBunduBallerina]

Beautiful video! I agree with your choice, especially Alexandrova, Nunez and Zakharova are some of my favs, too. A very important addition for me is Alina Cojocaru, an incredibly musical artist. Thanks for sharing and a happy new year!

[@peace-now]

Gimme a break! Half of these will be forgotten soon! What about the great balerinas of the past. The most famous is certainly Anna Pavlova. Pierina Legnani is one of the greats aso. Most of the big ballets were written for her - like the part for Odette. How many written for Zakharova, your number one - none!! Marina Semyonova was the first big star to dance Nikiya, and had the balet revised for her. Then there is Carlotta Grisi. The ballet Giselle was created for her!

[@peace-now]

As anyone who they have hear of in ballet. Most would mention Nijinsky or Pavlova. : Others would say Margot Fonteyn, Rudolf Nurveyev and Mikhail Barishynikov. These are the five names that come up over and over throughout the last 30 years. So where is Anna Pavlova? She is the most famous ballerina of all time. People like Zakharova are mentioned now, but I'll guarantee they will soon fade. Pavlova won't.

[@WilesWales]

I agree with with zeiimaderck about Alicia Alonso and being Prima Ballerina Abolsuta (a term not used outside of Russia) decades with Sir Anton crowing her head with laurels. She replace the reigning "Giselle," in 1943 when Dame Alicia Markova (where is she, by the way?), when she got ill, and that made her a star! She was 90% blind. I think that your list is amazing, I mean Zhakarova is wonderfull, but what about ALICIA ALONSO? she is the prima ballerina assoluta... zeiimaderck

[@davidgallegos2505]

Margor Fontaine??? Limit Thecnique and limit school .. where is Cyntia Gregori Martin maghammel Cyntia Harvey etcl.. and Sivie Guillem

[@yukjackpot1939]

I absolutely agree with your List! Great Video

[@dimitrisnickiforou1230]

I ain't got any list but the divine Maya was none's second EVER and appart from her all the rest have been just very good ballerinas. When I see ... lists having the godess as nr 9 (!!!) or even 7 (!!) makes me laugh. Plisetskaya has been and ever be far beyond any ... list or criticism.

[@thach0x0]

where is Ulyana Lopatkina on the list? here is mine: 1.Svetlana Zakharova(no contest,by far the best ever in the history) 2.Ulyana Lopo\atkina 3.Natalia Osipova 4.Sylvie Guillem 5.Dorothee Gilbert 6.Olesya Novikova 7.Maya Plisetskaya 8.Dianna Vishneva 9.Alina Somova 10.Marinaela Nunez

[@DehManesBllt]

My top ten: 10. Nina Kaptsova 09. Maria Alexandrova 08. Maria Bylova 07. Maya Plisetskaya 05. Ekaterina Krysanova 04. Ludmila Semenyaka 03. Natalia Osipova 02. Ekaterina Maximova 01. Svetlana Zakharova. They are the best in the world. Don't like the others.

[@andrearodrigues6729]

Svetlana? really? -.-

[@peace-now]

Number 1? Legnani! She trained the greats and Petipa said she was the best. Petipa is the best ballet master for me also having created nearly every ballet there is! Pavlova, Legnani, Ulanova and the underated Bessmertova are all better than most of these. I mean Tchaikovsky CHANGED Swan Lake's music to cater for Legnani. Today, Guillem should be rated also. I agree with Plisetskaya. She is a legend.

[@lena_lenka]

Мой топ 10 1 Майя Плисецкая 2Екатерина Максимова 3 Галина Уланова 4 Надежда Павлова 5 Нина Тимофеева 6Сильви Гиллем 7Алисия Алонсо 8Анжелина Воронцова 9Светлана Захарова 10Диана Вишнева

[@arktana]

not sure about some of the girls,there are some great russian girls that should have been there ,but your number 1 zahariva -is of course totaly correct.zaharova is the greatest in history of dance- in my opinion at least.

[@mrthepersonify]

I agree with most of these but Alina Cojocaru and Tamara Rojo should be here, especially Alina, she is by far the best dancer of the decade tied with Svetlana Zakharova. And how could you forget Aurelie Dupont?

[@tsyganko]

Well, I mostly agree, but I think that Lopatkina should've been on that list. Also, I personally don't think that Vishneva is best as Odette (she's more Kitri for me) but this is your list after all :)

[@MrBurnthemall88]

Alina Somova?? Must be a joke... No offense, but what about Miyako Yoshida or Sylvie Guillem? Anyway, Marianela and Osipova are amazing, although I think Marianela deserves a better position on that top.

[@joebeer4155]

MarLeMou When it comes to Ballerinas one needs to have 2 top 10 lists list 1 my top 10 ballerinas, list 2 my top 10 ballerinas I have 20 top ballerinas on a list of 10. Hmmmm I made a 2nd list of top 10 ballerinas and everyone is happy. LOL

[@maicolacostalemos]

es dificil... obvio... pero re bien la seleccion... lo unico que te digo que la foto que pusiste de osipova es realmente una imagen de zakharova...

[@Guims83]

I know that it's your choice and i totally respect it, i think that your classment us cool (except that there's no guillem) but seriously, Nuñez in gamzati ? You have to see darcey bussel dancing the variation of the temple destruction, she's muche better, of curse nuñez is a very beautiful ballerina, but not in this variation... Sorry for my english, i'm french ;p

[@RaineriHakkarainen]

my top ten.The ballerinas need an explosivness of plitsetskaya sizova maria aleksandrova.the beauty and an elegance of nina ananiashvili.ekaterina krysanova ekaterina maksimova.the best from the west sylvie guillem.the art of kelsey kirkland