'Nureyev Unzipped' - A brief survey of the life and career of the great Russian dancer

[@Bootmahoy88]

I saw him live in the 80s, and I don't care what the detractors say, he was glorious, and I'm not some love sick idol worshiper. I adored frequenting classical ballet as well as modern dance over the decades. I saw Baryshnikov several times live and he was absolutely magnificent, oh yes, but in those performances that I was so blessed to have seen of Nureyev in the 80s I always felt strangely electrified, and I know that's kind of a silly thing to say, but I did, I felt electrified watching him dance. The passion he exuded was a life or death kind of passion. My God! Just thinking about it sends shivers up my spine. Yeah, another cliche phrase, but I don't have another one that aptly describes the experience I enjoyed watching Nureyev dance.

[@nancyduffy2720]

I also had the gift if seeing him perform TWICE in Dan Francisco in the 70s. He was thundering. His power on stage was formidable. We knew we were watching a force! Thank 'someone' AIDS is no longer the tragedy it was in his time. RIP to he and Dame Margot. 💫💖

[@maryrosenblatt6741]

Detractors say whatever they want but he was truly MAGICAL AND will always be a LEGEND.

[@lisagreen-cudek9735]

Nureyev was a brilliant man and incomparable dancer. I read about him in the newspaper and asked my parents to get me a ticket to see him an hour away in Baltimore for my twelfth birthday. Seeing him dance Basilio with Lucette Aldous and the Australian Ballet in his own staging prompted me to begin studying ballet and, despite my late start, I then made a career as a dancer and dance teacher. I saw Nureyev many times and he always touched my heart and got it racing. The last ballet I saw him in was in 1979 when he danced the role of Myshkin in Valery Panov's, The Idiot. He gave magnificent performances which I attended standing room seven times. Nureyev was a great ambassador of dance embracing stage and screen, ballet and modern, dancing, choreographing, directing and mentoring. His fierce independence of thought, artistry, humanity, and passion make me cherish him. He is in the pantheon of dance.

[@blackkittens.]

Thank you for sharing your story :)

[@musicworld4002]

Its not about technical skills to compare. Nureyev is simply the genius of dance. He was not acting or dancing - he created great art on scene, he lived och scene. Nureyev is a legend for ever!

[@annapoole132]

I have met both...Fonteyn and Nureyev when in DC at the age of 10!!!! We were at the Lincoln Center to see Swan Lake! It was magical!!! I have never forgotten!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@carolmarr6607]

Nureyev was a born dancer who was so expressive and theatrical on stage. His passion for dance shone like the star he was. He fought to be able to train and dance professionally coming from a poor background and unsupportive father who discouraged him. Dance was in every fibre of his being and he was blessed with rock star looks which could only add to his attractiveness for audiences. I think sometimes there is too much criticism of technique and certain moves when as someone who dances and loves to watch others I just think we should appreciate the performance. Nureyev was a most brilliant dancer who changed the way male dancers were seen.

[@srfotog]

I saw him dance in the early 80's and I couldn't care less what you thought of his technique in his 40's. He was MAGNIFICENT! I don't care at all that he was winding down. Still the most beautiful man that ever took the stage.

[@janetaylor2482]

My thoughts exactly. Truly the greatest artist, the most remembered and respected dancer, incredible life story and tragic ending. There’ll never be another Nureyev.

[@maryrosenblatt6741]

I agree. He was one of the Wonders of the world. He made me feel like I was walking in the clouds with him.

[@hannaleavancleef1468]

everyone has the right to think positively or not of Nureyev. However, it is not the same thing to see a video or to see Live!! Whoever saw Nureyev onstage, and I did many times, will never forget it !!! A real artist makes you remember the performance years later, as if it was fresh from yesterday !! Every real artist makes mistakes - even pianist Arthur Rubinstein -: why? because a real artist is ready to take risks onstage, and do new things! That's what makes the performance so special!!! Never a dull moment! And so was Nureyev ! Every movement, every feeling, became real: you believed in it! That is a treasured gift !

[@maryrosenblatt6741]

Nureyev took risks which just seems to double his appeal and charisma.

[@Татьяна-д2ч2н]

Абсолютная музыка чувств - Нуреев.

[@alanaronald244]

I enjoyed this, thanks. Having seen Nureyev on stage & from backstage as a teen, I can attest to the fact that his presence was powerful: the charisma stratospheric, his technique, although flawed, was the product of a will and passion beyond that of most, and he was devilishly handsome. Those jumps and turns were so exciting: never had any male dancer impressed us as much as he. From the vantage point of a dance student and performer, I recognized that special spark of genius we see so rarely: simply put, he was magnificent. Zipped or unzipped, Nureyev had a ground-breaking formative influence on ballet in the West that was inspirational. His sexuality infused his performance with a tantalizing androgyny that appealed to so many, and his reverent love and knowledge of classical repertoire was prodigiously shared, to our everlasting gratitude and benefit. I consider myself very fortunate to have seen him dance, and know many who feel the same. His association with the National Ballet of Canada, for instance, was so wonderfully enriching: this film just scratches the surface of all he gave to the world.

[@normezmoi]

The wonderful dancers that the Royal Ballet had to make place for are completely forgotten today but Nureyev stays in our memories.

[@emmaw.2058]

and so is Margot Fonteyn.

[@kavalkid1]

Sensationalist journalism about the life of an artist, true to himself in an age where his sexuality was in the process of being recognized as a part of our greater humanity. Communist sympathy will not stand the test of time. Rudolph will not be forgotten.

[@secretofsinging]

Carol Marr...you are absolutely correct..in that SNOBBISM (AS TO TECHNIQUE) COMES INTO PLAY IN ALL THE ARTS !!!!! His TECHNIQUE was fanastic. He was the most exciting and WONDERFUL/GORGEOUS DANCER !!! He WAS the first one to dance with his soul/mind/and body. He was unique and I loved him as an artist!!!! Uniqueness..uses the best of TECHNIQUE...AND MAKES IT only HIS !!!!! BRAVISSIMO NUREYEV..

[@kaythomas8521]

Let's Dance........love it!!!!

[@stardresser1]

My goodness, what a mean spirited, snarky program. He was an dancer of extraordinary strength, athleticism, charisma, raw and primal sexuality, magnificent passion, charm, and pathos. He was an actor as well as a dancer in his roles. He was the sum of many parts, (not to mention just flat out BEAUTIFUL.). A many faceted man, living an extraordinary, complicated life, he could hardly be an called angel, more the opposite. But for gods sake, he was hardly the loser portrayed here.

[@valentinamasei7777]

I didn't see it as mean spirited. Legends tend to have bad personal stories, all that was said was true.

[@viankaescalante8776]

@@valentinamasei7777 yes, but he was a star, a spectacular dancer who transmitted his passion. It’s not fair how he is criticised in this documentary. Everyone remembers him because he was AMAZING

[@helenlauer9545]

Exactly. Imagine starting off saying his family suffered because of his defection. They did not let him study dance at all until he managed it on his own at 17. What did he owe them?

[@sandee3073]

Nureyev’s charisma was such that he appealed to both men and women. Something primal, electric. It’s impossible to describe. He was a physically beautiful man in addition to his gifts as a dancer.

[@219043204]

His artistry in dancing was spectacular and he was truly beautiful to look at.

[@kevindonohue2912]

Nureyev did have at least two long-term relationships, one with Erik Bruhn and the other with Robert Tracey. I also think that AIDS played quite a role in his later career, weakening his body even as he feverishly tried to out-dance it. Due to travel restrictions placed by some countries at that time on individuals with AIDS, Nureyev kept his health a closely guarded secret; I think he was far sicker than anyone realized and the knowledge that his time was growing short was likely a factor in the excessive number of projects he took on. I think it should also be remembered that Nurevey secretly paid for Fonteyn's cancer treatment at the end of her life. Her husband, Tito Arias, had been shot by the husband of a mistress, paralyzed, and required very expensive care for the rest of his life, which had exhausted Fonteyn's resources. Nureyev's devotion to her lasted long after their years of dancing together had ended.

[@Taiyou536]

he was bi - sexual and Margot Fonteyn was pregnant by him .... he was a much better person than people thought . he was beautiful inside and outside !

[@carolinebrookboysen1945]

he asked Margot to marry him in 1964 and said in an interview near the end of his life that she was all he had in life. He also had had long term girfriends in Russia.

[@Timzart7]

In addition to those two long-term relationships when he was older -- the one with Robert Tracey lasting 14 years but only less than 3 which involved sex -- one of Rudy's first boyfriends was another dance student, an East German, just a few years older, whom he met in his second year at the Vaganova Academy (Kirov Ballet School) in Leningrad. He is mentioned in this fascinating 2007 New Yorker article about a new bio of Rudy here: www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/10/08/wild-thing-2

[@alexbuildingblocksandjerom3454]

You can feel the chemistry he had with fonteyn as they danced. ..and it was no secret that both of them had an affair.

[@fashionearrings]

Yes AIDS took him.. This film is mean. There's a docu "Dancing through Darkness".. About his last years.. Just broke my heart.

[@carolmarr6607]

Nureyev was a brilliant dancer expressive elegant energetic and passionate in his chosen art. There sometimes can be picky criticism in dance instead of just sitting back and enjoying the performance in itself for the dancer will always do their best on any given day. What does it matter if a leap could be a little higher etc. Dancers put their souls into it so let us appreciate that.

[@shirzevor]

Yes - pickyness even bitchiness can appear in comments of some 'Know-alls' who do commentaries for these documentaries. I think of all the videos I've seen regarding Nureyev and his own expression and sharing - that he wasn't in any way bitchy. He and Fonteyn learnt from and taught each other so much. Legends and treasures to humankind, both of them.

[@isrberlinerin4063]

Yes Nureyev was one of the greatest dancers and Margot Fonteyn was a stabilizing force for him and also they enjoyed a great close friendship till her end . That he paid for her cancer treatment shows how much she meant to him . There is a saying it is not how one starts it is how one finishes and there are tragically many sad endings .

[@submarine8815]

You're absolutely right. Shortly before his death, he was offered a choice of two cemeteries - Montmartre and Montparnasse. But he said he wanted to be buried on Russian soil. Therefore, he was buried at Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois. This is a predominantly Orthodox cemetery in Paris, founded by immigrants from Russia. Having physically escaped from his homeland, he always stayed at home in his soul...

[@jayesimond9301]

Many male dancers were great. HE was spectacular.

[@zuzannavee9558]

I saw him three times in the late 70s in London. The energy that rolled off the stage as he entered was palpable; like a wave hitting me. I will never forget that experience. He was, and continues to be, the best....despite bitchy comments in that very competitive arena.

[@nicoleancell6860]

There is something to be said for having technical talent yes..maybe there were better dancers who could execute well but no one had the emotion expression and artistic finesse of Nureyev. He also never stopped perfecting himself. This coupled with his sheer beauty made him the best dancer I’ve ever seen.

[@gloriahoulihan8717]

I adore ballets with Rudolph Nureyev especially with Margot Fonteyn. I was a ballet student for a while until outside events happened to stop that.They were my inspiration at the time.

[@richardcleveland8549]

After viewing the video, I scrolled through most of the comments. I'm not surprised that some people objected to the "predatory homosexual" comment, but it was a passing reference and Stamp didn't dwell on it - and the fact remains that Nureyev WAS gay, that he spent much of his life on the road, and that he took comfort where he found it. There's an interesting article from "The Guardian" from 2003 that's available on-line - an interview about Robert Tracy, a writer and sometime dancer who was Nureyev's lover, companion and assistant from 1979 until the great dancer's death in 1993. The researcher was Carolyn Soutar, who hunted for Tracy for six years before finding him and persuading him to talk with her about the relationship. I recommend the article, which was published in "The Guardian" 30 January 2003 and entitled "Nureyev and me." Soutar's book was published in 2005 to tepid reviews, but she knew him from 1980 through 1985 in her backstage position at the London Coliseum. It leans heavily on her interviews with Tracy and on her own observations of Nureyev, of whom Tracy said, "He did more to emancipate the role of the male dancer than anyone else. He took them away from being merely a chevalier . I try to write about Rudolph in each book and every article I do. He is in everything and is everywhere. He permeates my soul." If we accept Nureyev as he was, "warts and all," as Oliver Cromwell said whilst sitting for a portrait, then his sexuality and the way he expressed it is part of the package. It could be said of him, as one great Nineteenth Century soprano said of another who was past of her prime, "You're right, it's a wreck of a voice, but it's like Da Vinci's The Last Supper, a wreck of a painting, but still the greatest painting in the world". Thus Nureyev in his later years, a wreck of a dancer, but still the greatest dancer in the world.

[@violetszabo4685]

Magnificently Said..

[@caroline7853]

He never danced better than he did with Margot. They were pure joy and love on stage.

[@sego5657]

Who do I love to watch dance? Well, that would be Rodolf Nureyev. He was a matchless dancer, intense, communicative, and with his special energy. There was nobody nobody else in comparison that I love to watch!

[@Oakleaf700]

Nureyev lived locally {our Auntie was his housekeeper for a while..} I saw him Dance at a school trip to the ballet one evening, and ooooh wow! I was mesmerised.. The people who say he was not 'technically perfect'..... who needs technical perfection when one has FIRE...We couldn't take our eyes off him! Lucky, lucky Auntie.... and yet she took no nonsense..I spoke to my brother yesterday about how she would have got the job, and it must have been through personal recommendation... auntie was very discreet and honourable. Bless them both.

[@terriholliday8038]

Oakleaf700 thank you for sharing... what wonderful memories you have.

[@evangeliakaratza-styliara4413]

Oakleaf700 exactly!!!! One watches the FIRE!!! He was passion...he was S T A R!!!! Blazing into every one of his audiences! And he never complained about his illness but worked to the end.... It is demeaning only of whoever critiques, not of him... because a STAR IS A STAR!

[@andrewgibbon-williams7974]

He was a brave man. Full of courage. More masculine than any football-player; more feminine than any Hollywood starlet.That WE, as his contemporaries, should not have helped him to have a happier private life, should shame us all. Artists like Nureyev only come along once in a century - if that. We should all miss him. Pay homage!

[@georgecarberry9222]

He was a spectacular dancer & beautiful man. His death was a tragedy. So sad.

[@madeleine7]

Nureyev´s Tomb in Paris is incredibly beautiful. It looks like it is covered by a Siberian Kilim, in which Siberians would wrap themselves up to sleep. . Made from marble tasselli. Look for it on KZbin. Designed and sculpted by one of his friends who knew him and loved him. My brother-in-law, Raymundo de Larrain, helped Nureyev to escape to the West in Paris and Nureyev stayed in his flat. Raymundo was also beautiful and bi-sexual, and staged the Ballets of the Marquis de Cuevas, in whose Ballets, Nureyev starred after his escape. The "Sleeping Beauty," starring Nureyev, was the most beautiful Production, and had the Audience standing on their chairs during the Ovation. Raymundo died some years before Nureyev - from AIDS also, I suspect, although my family were very reticent to admit it.

[@kathleenlynch5763]

Nevrt be a dancer like him again .i saw him with margot fontain in swan lake i was 14 years old and was hooked on ballet from then on i am now 72 and still think of him as the best dancer that ever was despite his faults And wharever he was there will never be another dancer like him..

[@Timzart7]

Rudy danced with the power of a beautiful, strong animal. And he was the whole package, including his package. Even people who didn't like ballet could see that he was special. His face was beautiful, very striking and handsome on stage, and the proportions of his body were ideal, along with the shape of all his body parts. Most British and American male dancers looked either too skinny, or like misshapen twits in comparison, no matter how fastidious or superior they may have been in some elements of technique. The British school of male ballet dancing emphasized precise technique and above all, "aristocratic restraint." The common term for that is boring. No high jumps. No letting go, or abandoning oneself to emotion, athleticism or the dance. Unexciting pirouettes. Everything tightly but elegantly under control. Rudy looked good in everything he did, and had suspension in his leaps. Ballet is not natural. It's an art, artificial. Rudy made it look natural. He was exciting to watch. The Soviets knew that he had the potential to be the most popular and famous male ballet star since Nijinsky (whose fame was also sped up by leaving Russia), even with Rudy's few flaws and late start at quality training. Not mentioned in this, Rudy danced in amateur folk dance groups as a kid and also with the local Ufa opera ballet company, where he began dance lessons at the age of eight. He danced with the Kirov as a principle after only three years of serious training, and they saw the effect he had on audiences. Of course, they were also aware that if he left and became a big star, their other best Russian dancers may also leave. I understand the bitterness some British male dancers must have felt when it was their turn for a principal role or some attention, and Rudy shows up and they are totally eclipsed and about as popular as dog poop overnight. That's life.

[@zcd.7262]

so well said. Nuryev was truly incomparable.

[@StarDreamMemories]

😅 💓 you are so on it!

[@TerryvOnselen]

Very true... He exuded sex... The first time I saw him I was riveted.... I just wanted to watch him forever... I wanted HIM...

[@Oakleaf700]

@@TerryvOnselen I saw him dance when I was a young teenager...and felt that POWER! ...the other girls in my class felt it too! {School trip to the Ballet }

[@TheDivayenta]

He revolutionized ballet for male dancers in the West forever!

[@MrQbenDanny]

BRAVO!!! Male ballet dancers owe you an eternal debt of gratitude, EVEN the one's whose toes you stepped on.

[@silviagovea3644]

Nureyev just fall down from heaven to make us feel so happy just for knowing he has existed and for the dance heritage he left for people who love ballet and who really appreciate what ballet means for the spirit. Love Nureyev.

[@frannieo1707]

Well said.

[@dinazdivecha3483]

Rudi was the best ballet dancer that this world has ever seen.

[@franxiscosanchez7668]

Fue un real y maravilloso bailarín , un gran artista , su técnica no fue nada mala creo que podría competir con los más aventajados de la época , tenía de todo , saltos , giros muy buenos , presencia excelente , expresivo , pasión fue un inmenzo artista lo que digan no importa que hablen le hace más grande , de los fabulosos siempre hay algo que quieren decir , pero lo importante es la obra , lo que nos dejan en el recuerdo y corazón los buenos mágicos momentos vividos que ellos los enormes nos ofrecen en el crucial momento de su interpretacion , a los artistas no se les juzga , ni compara hay muchos grandes todos son tan diferentes como sus carácteres que es el sello de su arte , su personalidad todos abordan la técnica desde su yo interno su forma de ver el momento de hacerlo realidad para el publico que es el mayor juez , crítico , jurado , de quien es un ARTISTA Y EL LO FUE LO ES Y LO SERA POR SIEMPRE EN NUESTROS CORAZONES Y RECUERDOS GRATOS ........... ( Gracias ) ..............................

[@СветланаТомаля-щ5у]

Спасибо Руди что был на земле!И сделал нас лучше своим талантом и красотой!!!❤

[@shirleyarnott7822]

Envy is the worst crime in the world. This programme disturbed me. I would hate to be like some of them. Every time I watch his videos I feel refreshed and happy.

[@irisarmos9204]

Whoever wrote the script for this needs to apologize to the world in general and to the memory of Rudi in particular for letting his ego dictate the words instead of letting the truth of the matter shine through: which is that Nureyev was as magnificent a dancer as ever you will see. It is not all about technique. It is about passion and charisma and mystery and depth and what one saw in his eyes. Maybe not as perfect as Baryshnikov, not as naturally gifted as Polunin, not as unique as Tsiskaridze. But as great if not greater than them all.

[@josefgatti9328]

Since WW2, marketing is everything.

[@рюриксварогов]

Наверное, лучший коммент из всех, здесь.

[@maryrosenblatt6741]

It’s never just one thing. It’s a combination and his was the best.

[@СветланаТомаля-щ5у]

Руди лучший!!!!Гений Нуреева живет вечно! Поганини балета.!Чингиз Хан -балету!Харизматичный талантливый и прекрасный человек.верный друг .Спасибо тебе Руди!За то что был был и озарил мир своим лучезарным светом.Ты сам был солнечным светом.яркой кометой .звездой.вулканом страстей.таланта во всем и прекрасным человеком с тонкой душевной организацией.Гений на века.Люблю.Так хочется поклонится твоей могиле во франции!❤❤❤❤

[@chriskov3633]

Какой одаренный о природы Полунин? Техничный. Да. Не более того. Эмоционально не трогает вообще. Нашли кого сравнивать с Нуреевым. Смешно.

[@rayebutterfield1820]

So beautiful to watch !!! He will never be forgotten.

[@jayesimond9301]

Technical prowess is all ballet dancers offer these days w/a semblance of theatrical abilities. He had smthg most dancers lack nowadays: artistry. That’s why he will forever be a dance LEGEND.

[@42abyz]

Yes!

[@karenalexanderful]

He just had incredible magnetism. It was intoxicating. This documentary was rather mean spirited, one can criticise with kindness and affection, which seemed missing here.

[@angela2726]

Certainly. They obviously have never seen the young exciting Noureyev in a real performance

[@Marjiekc]

It's horrible. He was far greater and more brilliant than the maker can obviously comprehend. I suppose he is hard to take in that he really was that good. A phenomen.

[@shelleynobleart]

Great piece on him. I agree completely. I was a SAB student in 1978 and 9 just as his ability physically was waning. They allowed us to pay just $4 at Lincoln Center to watch matinee with the great stars. I will never forget watching Nureyev perform as a prince entering a forest at night. His perfect line and emotion made me weep. The only pure magic I've seen on a stage. There were no jumps nor anything one would call dance but his ability to tell a story for the audience is unsurpassed in my opinion.

[@annbrixey9651]

Nureyev gave ballet the 'male dancer.' He Is the reason we now see male dancers actually dancing.

[@normamimosa5991]

Actually that's not true. Maybe in the West, but most certainly not in Russia (USSR at the time). Not only was he not the best male dancer, but men in Russia had been "actually dancing" as you put it for quite some time. Meanwhile, it is incredible how ballet has progressed to the level of technique and difficulty today (for both men and women). I think if it had not, ballet might have become a lost art.

[@jeffgoesrandom4217]

I saw Nureyev dance once in New York. When he danced it was like lightning. Electricity. It wasn't an exaggeration.

[@helenlauer9545]

YES. I wonder if you were at the same solo performance in a kind of side-street venue, a university theatre, as I did. I have never forgotten it.

[@musicgirlbb7300]

I saw him in Switzerland , never will I forget his passion and marvelous dances. 3 Acts.

[@СветланаТомаля-щ5у]

​@@musicgirlbb7300как я вам завидую.что вы его видели

[@TheUnikita52]

Nureyev danced what he longed for, freedom. His exquisite looks, energy Precision, lyrical motion combined to emit a rebellious quality and love of dance and freedom.

[@cor3944]

Charisma is more important than technique and perfection. And it lasts forever.

[@kaythomas3171]

His gorgeous looks didn't hurt, either

[@normamimosa5991]

Nureyev certainly had great charisma. It was the backbone of his fame. Without impeccable technique, a dancer will never ride the wave toward artistic perfection. Technique is essential before artistry. Without exception great artistry only develops after considerable stage experience. Without technique, great artistry will always be held back. So much of the artistry in ballet is in the technique and body movement. A dancer with great artistry without great technique will never become a top ballet dancer. Nureyev was not a very good dancer. He had great artistry. As his career progressed, he did not improve. He ended up as a sad caricature of himself. People in the West thought he was a great dancer, because they had not been exposed to that level of male dancer before.

[@filipepassosmusic6130]

@@normamimosa5991 really? lol

[@lilyyoung9282]

Such a tortured, magical artiste - so much pain and overwhelming talent that took the ballet 🩰 world by storm ☔️

[@normajidahmohamedlop5828]

Thank you for sharing this. Rudolf Nureyev was such a brave man to have done what he wanted to do, for the love of dance....unfortunately, at the expense of his family. But I still feel it was very brave of him.

[@xilefregnu9542]

What a gift!! Rudy reminds me of Freddie Mercury of Queen. Don't laugh if you don't know. The parallels are incredible.

[@marionmarino1616]

He was a god! That face. The intensity. No one will ever again touch him.

[@robertdewarren1789]

How wonderful to always have Rudolf present in our lives, He was a dear friend and supporter to me, dancing as Artist Laureate with my company Northern Ballet Theatre for almost ten years. He actually recommended me as director of the ballet at La Scala in Milan. Read my memoir Destiny's Walts - In Step with Giants to find out more.

[@patriciaivars6096]

He is and was the best and I don't understand why this people who now him criticized him now that he is dead and cant defense himself. He has a great personality and dignity as wel.... and is very very beautiful and handsome.....Hipocrits.......awful critic they were jealous of him..

[@balletyt44]

There could be 100 dancers on stage and you were only watching NUREYEV! He was absolutely magnificent! An he still is...

[@LusciousTwinkle]

What the likes of Tony Dowell dont understand is that we werent there to watch ballet....we were there to watch Nureyev....We didnt care how perfect your steps and form were Tony!!! You could never perform as magnificently as Rudolph...He was a force of nature....He was much more than ballet...

[@CLASSICALFAN100]

You're talking about **STAR POWER** , and you're right...

[@gracewill3815]

well done .

[@randicollier1367]

I was fortunate enough to see HIM perform when he came to Ohio State University through their arts program. I will never forget his performance. He was mesmerizing and beautiful.

[@walterroberts2861]

Rudolph Nureyev Is My Favourite Ballet Dancier!!! Boy...Do I Love This "Mysterious Crane" of The Ballet; And He Does It With Such Grace; Style; and Exquisite and Inquisitive Poise To Search Out The Value and Quality of His Audience! However, I Must Not Forget Igor Zelensky whom Motivated Me Through His Ballet Dance; Of "Swan Lake" Which Guided Me Within The Heirship of Him and Rudolph As A Notable Interest In This Great Genre!!!

[@ronelllambert5394]

Amazing !!! There are no words!!!!! That exquisite dancer left his mark!!!

[@enricovankeeken1624]

*One can not really learn to dance like this ..+ ~~ ?You´re born - maybe - to dance the way he did*

[@annieeagleton1820]

Annie E What a mean-spirited and unworthy little piece this commentary is, fuelled by envy of Nureyev's unsurpassable greatness, charisma, the elemental force which has never been rivalled and never will be. He did not 'continue to dance until 1992 when he was 54'. He mimed the part of Carabosse in his Berlin production of The Sleeping Beauty not long before his death on 6 Jan 1993. Certainly he continued to dance when he was ill but this is a tribute to his extraordinary genius which compelled him to give joy and richness to the world. How snide and sanctimonious are the comments about his sexuality, his illness, his frailty. Shame on you! Nureyev was and always will be a man to be marvelled at for the brilliance of a soul expressed in dance and a soaring courage and absence of self-pity which put these puny commentators to shame. RIP Rudy.

[@robynwilliams8110]

That is what I thought. It seems to reflect his difficult relationship with the Royal Ballet and rivalries with other male performers. And undoubtedly there were technical issues of which I understand he was aware. However - I was about 10 or 11 when Nureyev burst upon the world stage. My family - males included, were gobsmacked, and I think we were fairly typical - ordinary Australian working people were talking about ballet and watching Nureyev's performances, or the glimpses we got in awe.. He absolutely revolutionised the way bailet was perceived in popular culture. The view that he was never technically very good in the first place and the gloss wore off after about 5 years was not the common perception.

[@susannevollmer2347]

@@robynwilliams8110 >>Not all RB male dancers: Christopher Gable remembered RN in what he has done for the male dancers!

[@shirzevor]

Well said. Thankyou!

[@НатальяБОЛДЫРЕВА-ф6т]

Когда видишь танец Нуреева, понимаешь, что это - Магия! Возможно, у кого то была более совершенная техника, но такого Волшебства не производил никто!

[@ОльгаБулюк]

Совершенная техника была у него и до сих пор это остается загадкой . Он сделал революцию в балете .

[@Natali98061]

Балет - это всё-таки искусство, музыка, театр, чувственность, страсть и магия, а не только техника... В нём все это было с избытком, и люди это чувствовали, чувствовали, что он был искренен с ними, со сценой, с музыкой, с партнёршей,... и со своей жизнью

[@dross24MA]

I saw him on multiple occasions in the early years and still miss that version of him. His air time was such that one could actually see what happened during the flight, his body position so controlled. His take-offs were from the legs and body, not from flinging from his arms around. Look at his those fantastic landings - he would "stick" them with an accuracy that cannot be achieved without total control. And his hands - oh, my! The line from elbow to fingertip is exquisite and (generally) without the thumbs sticking as so many dancers do! As my teacher said, "The thumbs follow the fingers, they are not hat racks." His attention to his partner always impressed me. He could emphasize her abilities and her dance even while being his own person. He looked at her, not the audience, showcasing her abilities. Yes, I admit that his later years were not even close to the early ones. However, those should not be used to try to erase the excellence of the early years. He was like a different person then.

[@malcolmwhitehead7225]

" the most elegant and noblest of princes." Perfect description. Supreme forever! MW.

[@annbrixey9651]

Nureyev did more for the world of the male dancer than any other dancer. We saw males as dancers. instead of simply supports for the female dancer.

[@helenlauer9545]

I saw male ballet dancers not as dancers but as gods, because of Nureyev. I still do.

[@caroliacobini5109]

his way of luring the public when he was on stage,l adored Rudy to the end and still do

[@TimothyJonSarris]

This seedy little exposé is unworthy of a great artist. From the looks of it, it was produced by rather small minded individuals who did not appreciate neither his artistry or his superhuman efforts, which ultimately raised the bar of the art form.

[@junerussell9329]

I was fortunate to work in the gents wardrobe department of the Royal Opera House in the sixties and remember making the sleeves to his costume in Giselle. So good to see this.

[@RoseSharon7777]

Very awesome!!

[@Norma_Ro]

Unique. There will never be another like him. Ever.

[@Sonic-dogmagic]

A lot of envious principle dancers is this documentary giving resentful comments about Rudy's technique is obvious. Rudy had more talent and stage personality combined than they ever did. Even though he was bisexual, he was completely in love with Margot and if that leeching husband Tito hadn't been shot and paralyzed, I think they would have continued to be lovers onstage and offstage. Very touching that Rudy paid for Margot's cancer treatment.

[@srfotog]

She had to keep dancing forever to pay for Tito's hospitalizations and treatment.

[@clarefeinson5427]

I read a magazine article once by an enterprising journalist who had asked the same question of Nureyev, Fonteyn, and both of their official biographers: did Nureyev and Fonteyn ever have sex together? Nureyev said yes, once. Fonteyn said no, no, never! Fonteyn's biographer said yes, probably once. Nureyev's biographer said no, no, never! Some mysteries are better left unsolved.

[@StandedInUtah]

AIDS took so many gay men in the 80's and 90's and the world suffered as a result. The loss of so many bright lights diminished us all. The ignorance and fear of the disease and the blame laid at the feet of gay men that followed is one of the greatest sins of the time. Let us never make such a mistake again.

[@jamesgattuso9778]

Those men weren’t heroic victims. They were promiscuous and undisciplined and that’s why so many got sick during those years.

[@gracewill3815]

Nureyev was /is a star , sexy , stylish , attractive ,well artistic cultivated with strong character . he fans followed him where ever he went . no one can compare with him ever .

[@21stcenturyozman20]

*Hugh S* - When Nureyev was working on his Don Quixote in Melbourne in 1973 he was usually accompanied by his co-director Sir Bobby Helpmann, head of the Australian Ballet. Helpmann had an account with my taxi, and would frequently take my cab to the ballet centre. When Nureyev wasn't in the spotlight he was very quiet, even seemed shy. One day Helpmann got into my cab without Nureyev, all in a huff, and declared: "Whenever *that man* is in town all I seem to do is *procure boys!* LOL

[@amytrottier8836]

Utterly beautiful. I saw him in London when I was a very young lady in 1985. He danced Swan Lake with (I think) the Royal Ballet. I was enchanted, and I was not alone.

[@blue14428]

Nureyev was not dancing in Swan Lake with the Royal Ballet in 1985!

[@kathrynmolesa1641]

Nureyev was like Fred Astaire, graceful perfection. Baryshnikov was like Gene Kelly, powerful perfection. You can’t compare the two.

[@vaslav030547]

Jealousy envy and bitterness comes across most strongly in this footage. The people interviewed were not of his class. Nijinsky & Nureyev always embody amazing talent . They don't have that ability.

[@nancydionisi9346]

Wow!, Rudolf is the most wonderful classic dancer of all time!, fascinating, unique and incomparable!, I love and admire him so much!, it´s a dream to see him dancing with Margot Fonteyn, magical couple, they must be dancing in heaven now, many thanks Adam for sharing it!

[@gayanebuniatian7090]

I've never seen him on stage, but I can enjoy his dancing on video for hours. He is great in the ballet of Claude Debussy's in the ballet "Day of the Faun", Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet", in the ballet of Stravinsky " Petrushka" and modern dances. He started dancing at the age of 17, and he danced on stage for only 3 years when in 1961 he decided to stay in the West . In the same year he became a partner of Margot Fontaine in the ballet "Giselle". This is a dizzying success! I can believe that at the end of his carrier he was not as perfect in ntechnique as at younger periods. But the authors of this film seem to be very old judging from what they have produced.

[@maryrosenblatt6741]

He started dancing at 7 years old

[@neuzapinheirotorres3940]

Não que sejam velhos mas sim invejosos.

[@tkoran]

Fantastic documentary! Thanks for uploading! A true distillation of this great man’s career. Very accurate assessment of his strengths & weaknesses. A very poignant portrayal, as he was truly a lonely person who cling to ballet for life, for safety, for sanity.

[@mariepaulerent3004]

C'est un Prince de la danse..il a un regard d'une très grande humanité dont on ne se lasse pas....

[@robert-pj3bc]

Saw him - oh around 1976 - at the Uris theater in NYC. Jackie O and Lee were in the audience. His body was worthy of Michaelangelo.

[@amandashare1281]

I'm very jealous!

[@a.mie.533]

He was a beautiful, open-minded, passionate human being till the end. I don't like the derogatory undertones in this documentary...

[@carolinebrookboysen1945]

He can be as polite as he likes, but Anthony Dowell here can barely disguise his intense dislike of Nureyev! It comes through everything he says, every expression on his polite face...

[@ЕленаЗахарова-й8я]

Не только ТАЛАНТИЩЕ, а настолько хорош внешне.

[@kmn0717]

Whilst I have a great respect for the technically brilliant I would rather see an imperfect performance with his passion and fire any day. He is the Freddie Mercury of the ballet world with a stage presence that comes along only so rarely. I could watch his and Fontaine’s Romeo and Juliet over and over and be moved every time.

[@nordiskkatt]

I like the documentary, but I don't like that they're pushing the "lonely gay man" stereotype. In actual fact, Nureyev had two serious, long-term relationships in his life - Erik Bruhn and Robert Tracy. These relationships only ended in death; Nureyev's relationship with Bruhn lasted until Bruhn died, and Tracy's relationship with Nureyev lasted until Nureyev died.

[@evangeliakaratza-styliara4413]

Nordisk Katt thank you for posting this....indeed the comments seem out of ...respect and into jealousy.... no?

[@Marjiekc]

What a petty, mean-spirited and error-riddled effort. He was great - and has been underestimated if anything.

[@CristinaF210]

i completely agree actually im here in the comments to see if anyone would have written what YOU did

[@hayleyanna2625]

Nurveyev was magnificent. Beautiful man and endlessly fascinating.❤❤

[@andreavirag8595]

The artist for me! His life was the dance! Unique talent on the word!

[@deenibeeniable]

4:00 He is *utterly* in control of that smile...and it IS a smile.

[@biegebythesea6775]

very, very subtle

[@cecile862]

Be still, my heart

[@joerichardson6107]

This short film seemed fair to me why is there so much hate for it? He was human so it can't all be good.

[@mirelairinapetre6503]

The title is wrong. The real one is: " Unzipping Nureyev s Enemies".

[@СветланаТомаля-щ5у]

Браво Руди!Ты самый лучший неповторимый ! Рудольфа еще не перетанцевал никто и никогда! Спасибо Руди за эту красоту!

[@loyshaw935]

Incredible. Ill always adore this artist forever. He hypnotized me

[@Oakleaf700]

Nureyev had fire and verve...and raw power..that is what set the audience alight.

[@miavegan4270]

В каком измерении сейчас твоя Душа ........ты великолепен !!!!

[@brookegoslin]

Complete Perfection & Magnificent To Watch Full Of Deep Emotion & Profound Skill ! He Was The Best !

[@sonyamorrell8311]

He was the best, he had everything. So Danzig was envious.Any criticism of him is so clearly envy of his enormous talent and intelligence. Anthony Dowell was clearly envious.

[@anncain1104]

I agree! Rudy's brilliance lifted him to another artistic level.....

[@ТатьянаАлексеева-в4т]

Нуреев - абсолют, совершенство, независимость, притягательное обояние в любви, радость и счастье в божественном танце, гениален во всем, к чему прикасается!

[@adam28xx]

Google translate: "Nureyev - absolute, perfection, independence, attractive charm in love, joy and happiness in a divine dance, brilliant in everything he touches!"

[@ninab8234]

Он так танцует,дух захватывает....вечная память🌹🌹

[@ИринаИванова-м7л]

Полностью с вами согласна, магическое ваечатление производил Нуреев.

[@voraciousreader3341]

Nope. It’s not true that no other danseur could jump higher or turn faster, or even match Nureyev’s dramatic power. There IS one danseur, and his name is Vladimir Vasiliev. The reason people in the West don’t necessarily know about him is that he was firmly entrenched at the Bolshoi with his wife, Ekaterina Maximova, and together they were rated by ballet connoisseurs as the greatest pair of the 20th century. I dk if that’s true or not, but I know how their dancing makes me feel! Baryshnikov AND Nureyev said Vasiliev was an influence on them. Another danseur Nureyev thought very highly if was Erik Bruhn, and not bc they were lovers....these 3 men have actually left me stunned by the absolute wonder of their performances.

[@ΘεοδωροςΓκότσης-φ3δ]

you do not need to be a specialist ballet and dance teacher to understand that nureyef was a unique artist

[@sandee3073]

But there is no existing footage of Nijinsky dancing. We have only the descriptions of those who saw him perform and still photos. For me, Nureyev will always be the greatest male ballet dancer. There will never be another like him.

[@memphisflashfan1]

Baryshnikov was a personal friend of Nureyev’s. They never compared each other’s “technique” choosing instead to value and respect the individual and unique gifts they each had. Over the years in many interviews I’ve heard Baryshnikov explain that for him, it was never about competition against another- those are just labels given by others. Rather, his competition was always against himself and how he could improve himself. There’s really no point in comparing Baryshnikov and Nureyev- their gifts are each so towering and wondrous that I’m glad I got to see Mikhael perform although I never had the opportunity to see Rudolf. But just watching him on video in Giselle, especially when he enters wearing that cape and his facial expression holding the lilies always makes me feel like crying. And what about Romeo and Juliet and on and on. Thank G-d these things are on video and not lost forever to us. And then of course there’s Nijinsky…I just feel in awe of all of them. While there are no videos of Nijinsky, we know from historical record that he was brilliant on so many levels…

[@philippaw65]

Waspish interpretation of a magical dancer who popularized ballet with his charisma and talent.

[@sandamalirajapakse5648]

Totally agree... nothing of his great achievements, personally or for ballet 😢 seemed petty & unnecessarily judgemental... I expected better from BBC 😔

[@angela2726]

Absolutely agree. He was an exceptionnel dancer and considered the best even before he left Russia and trying to make him sound just fashionable is petty

[@mrsnegrich]

Why bother saying such derogatory comments about Rudolf Nureyev? The downside to this otherwise good documentary. Why do you have to judge?

[@shirzevor]

I agree and wrote a post earlier. the male commentators seemed determined to be judgy and picky. Jealous, I wonder?

[@maggiethecat1538]

I would like to acknowledge the BRILLIANT portraits artist 🎨 Jamie Wyeth did of his friend, RN. 💖

[@arelazadiewhyte9233]

One only had to watch him once.....you knew how life might/or what it was going to be.

[@nancydionisi9346]

Rudolf Nureyev is the greatest classic dancer of all time!, unique and incomparable!

[@pediatrapaola]

11'56 listen about soloviev

[@tiffsaver]

When I discovered through your video that Nureyev only had THREE YEARS of serious classical training, I nearly fell off my computer chair...

[@proverbs31woman14]

Yes me too! I had 10 years, and still miss it terribly. Had to quit when my parents split up. My greatest memory was going to dance conventions in NYC as a child where you danced for 8 hours till your feet bled, and dancers from the Joffrey would come in. That and standing one toe with foot extended up behind me and allowing the older girls 2 twirl me like a music box ballerina. I was tiniest in the class. Ah, I miss those days.

[@nmccutcheon2243]

Right? He was a gift from God.

[@Kimllg88]

@@nmccutcheon2243 Yes! The White Crow brought me here.

[@anyhowe2702]

You're right

[@lisagreen-cudek9735]

@@proverbs31woman14 3 years at the Vaganova Choreographic Academy in Lenningrad but he did also study ballet in Ufa where he mostly did folk dance.

[@tonygomes6306]

Nureyev & Callas, one reminds me of the other. They ARE the MAGIC of the ART............. They "fed" our hearts with beauty....... Thank you for having "existed"........

[@TerryvOnselen]

I agree totally. There passion for their art and their intensity on stage set them apart. They are a part of ballet and opera history.

[@stephenfletcher6801]

I appreciate your comment, fully. As the video was playing the comparison of the two giants entered my mind. Will we ever experience such passion and truth again?

[@musicgirlbb7300]

He was and is the BEST

[@magnacz]

It seems that the main theme here is ENVY. Too bad not to have the generosity of spirit to admit his superior intelect and spirit as a dancer. Comparing him to other male dancers that were mediocre is very sad.

[@HanneloreMarkiewiez]

Danke stimmt es ist nur Neid

[@valeriepvi3667]

Let's try to be honest. Nurrev simply did show to the world what is the real Ballet . Ballet was one of the Russian treasure that was almost hidden from the world. The ballet in the western world didn't exist at that level of exelence, that he did show to them . The ballet dancers were just dancers .BTW, Russians have distinctive words for the ballet dancers.. They dont use the word dancer for the ballet dancers, even - they are ballerinas and balletists .

[@pertelote4526]

I have always admired Russian (Soviet of course too, especially Plisetskaya) female and male dancers but the word "ballerina" is not Russian but Italian in origin. Cheers

[@withgoddess7164]

He made male dancers popular Stars.

[@stefannydvorak7919]

@@withgoddess7164 Popular in the West. Because the Soviets already had established male ballet stars. Vladimir Vasiliev, Maris Liepa, Asaf Messer, Mikhail Lavrosky, Vlaslav Nijinski and many,many more. Also, I think Nijinski already planted the seed of male star dancer in the West, when he toured with Les Ballets Russes, at the beginning of the 20th century.

[@rezeda6101]

@@stefannydvorak7919 Вацлав Нижинский

[@natashaivanenko72]

Невероятно красив в танце!Рудольф Нуреев-гений балета на века!