Top Fifteen Male Ballet Variations

Per request, here are my top fifteen male ballet variations! Let me know what you think! What would you change?
Order:
15. Paquita: Lucian Variation (Jose Martinez)
14. Satanella: Variation (Alexander Sergeyev)
13. The Nutcracker: Prince Variation (Matthew Golding)
12. Le Corsaire: Conrad Variation (Angel Corella)
11. Marco Spada: Variation (David Hallberg)
10. Swan Lake: Siegfried Variation (Angel Corella)
9. Le Corsaire: Slave Variation (Vyacheslav Lopatin)
8. La Bayadere: Solor Variation (Valdislav Lantratov)
7. Giselle: Albrecht Variation (Johan Kobborg)
6. The Sleeping Beauty: Prince Variation (Mathias Heymann)
5. Don Quixote: Basil Variation (Leonid Sarafanov)
4. La Sylphide: James Variation (Steven McRae)
3. Flames of Paris: Philippe Variation (Ivan Vasiliev)
2. Coppelia: Franz Variation (Vyacheslav Lopatin)
1. Don Quixote: Basil 'Cups' Variation (Mikhail Baryshnikov)

[@the.hot.button]

Ballet is one of the most beautiful forms of art.

[@WeneedmoreGodsinTshirts]

Agreed

[@elijahcoomes7640]

And hardest

[@millersimon6655]

And the most painfull

[@sawyerjordan224]

*the most

[@ikeameltdown8012]

I don't love it. I enjoy the beautiful men, though.

[@celiabonadies5667]

It's not just that Barishnikov's technique is dazzling here, his acting cannot be beaten. He completely embodies the character, who thoroughly enjoys being himself!

[@ozsfi]

Right, I much prefer Barishnikov to Nureyev.

[@somekindofflower2024]

@@ozsfi same

[@juliettewheal5041]

Youre absolutely right.

[@DonnaMcMasterRiver]

Yes, exactly what I was thinking. I love watching classical ballet, especially the men’s solos, but so often it is just spin, leap, pose, or leap leap pose, .... If the dancer can’t give us a taste of who the character is, it’s beautiful but a bit hollow. I can understand why Baryshnikov migrated to modern dance and theatre over the years.

[@alexpond648]

Yes, that is exactly, what the others are lacking. It's often like watching a sports event with classical music. They're perfect athlets and their technique might be perfect, but Baryshnikov has it all.

[@Taranberk2]

I smiled watching the video until the end. Anyone else get tears watching Baryshnikov? He’s in another universe.

[@valmacclinchy]

Absolutely 💖

[@ericarougelazarus9453]

I can not get over how perfect he is. His technique, his presence on stage, his total control over his body... I could watch him dance forever

[@freddiemercury4evr]

All are lovely but you saved the best for last..Baryshnikov. Magical.

[@ozsfi]

On KZbin the last one is often the best one.

[@wenjessi]

I am totally speechless, Baryshnikov must descent from heaven.

[@clintcallas6513]

Wonderful Barishnikov!

[@janetstrzelec521]

love them all, but Baryshnikov is the whole package. One of a kind❤️❤️

[@julianwaugh968]

I did see nureyev a few times , he was pretty good.

[@solomon8692]

Kimin Kim is better

[@anastasialenkova-molchalin5874]

@Solomon You really think KIMIN KIM is BETTER than BARYSHNIKOV?!?! I really hope you're not serious.

[@iraklem5619]

Все хороши, но Барышников вне конкуренции. Он идеален!)))

[@denisebahous685]

Superb Baryshnikov!

[@AlejandroGarcia-ek3uy]

The house went wild with Barishnikov, no wonder!

[@NYJason]

WOW 😳 they all are amazing…. Ivan Vasiliev, his jumps were so high, never lost the technique and form on the air plus the drama. No dough that Baryshnikov is one special creature with extraordinary skills

[@annagi344]

I m sorry i dont like vasiliev he is dirty no fifth position no second , anything. No elegance, no thanks

[@NanaPigal-789]

​@@annagi344Ivan is powerful, energetic, sexy, his temper makes me dizzy!

[@chromatetrix3581]

@@annagi344totally right with you, vasiliev is more like a gymanstic than a dancer

[@Jack__11]

​@@NanaPigal-789totally agree omg

[@AlejandroGarcia-ek3uy]

There's nothing more beautiful in dance than classical ballet.

[@amitsinghdhillon5095]

This is an extremely difficult routine to perform but these extremely handsome young adult men perform the art of ballet to brilliant perfection with such ease. I have always been fascinated by the elegance of performing male ballet artists who make watching ballet such a delicious treat for the senses. Ballet is the highest form of adult male performance and the absolute perfection makes this such a delight to watch and enjoy the ballet artists especially the male players.

[@skykai125]

I could watch Barishnikov in this every day. Honestly tho, the entire cast and total company commitment in this film of Don Q are sensational! The golden era of ABT.

[@anatexeirapintosguerra5104]

Faltan los mejores, según mi concepción

[@anatexeirapintosguerra5104]

Debo retractarme. Si están tres de los mejores.

[@livelovedance1080]

matthew goldings variation was wow. The Jete at 3:46 was AMAZING. Baryshnikov is unreal- love him! I would have added Sergei Polunin. Especially Sergeis Le Corsairre variation

[@spruce8611]

I’m pretty sure they would’ve if he didn’t say that crap on Twitter

[@bradleyfifi9029]

Exact

[@tjw2469]

The last one is truly dancing with ease and joy

[@karenlommezmakeup4508]

The best comes last ❤️

[@ellakaukonen8254]

Omg Ivan Vasiliev and MIKHAIL BARYSHNIKOV😭😭💖

[@moyrawoodward2291]

Agree - they shine

[@juliettewheal5041]

Absolutely. the two very best

[@ballet701]

Wonderful Mathias Heymann and the hugely underrated Lopatin.

[@DonnaMcMasterRiver]

Next to Baryshnikov, Lopatin was my favorite as he imbued his characters with some personality.

[@amitsinghdhillon5095]

These performances on stage represent the pinnacle of human excellence.

[@EmEnz1]

What a wonderful selection of variations.. and all clearly labelled. What a joy to watch. Thank you.

[@susannevollmer2347]

I dont want to write another hymn about Baryshnikow. So write to the fabolous Lopatin, the great solo in Sylphide by Steven McRae (A most difficult variation), the elegance of Hallberg`s Marco Spada. Corella`s stormy and explossiv dancing Sarafanovs charm and Sergejevs perfection! They are truely first rank all together in this video. Thank you! Love to watch them.❤‍🔥

Barishnikov is the first, the one for everything!!!!!!😍

[@DavidFernandezChoreographer]

Each one of this dancers are awesome! What they do is amazing. All of them have their own style to approach their variations. I just love to see great dancers. Fantastic compilation❤ thanks. Love

[@richardcleveland8549]

Fabulous, AB-so-LUTE-ly fabulous! Thank you for assembling this video with its amazing dancers. I can see why you saved Baryshnikov for last; his dancing was the epitome of male grace, strength, beauty and sheer, unassailable talent and technique. Bravo!

[@balletbonnie01]

You saved the best for last!!! OMG. Lucky me I saw him dance with Gelsey!! I am old!

[@drstew1]

As Soon as Barishnikov arrived. Bang I felt emotion, immediately. Not see, then happen. In the same moment. Now that’s not to say that others don’t have this power. Because Carlos Acosta is does infact he incomparable! And Beautiful to watch. thank you for a fine selection. But, where was Carlos Acosta’s Variation? Maybe another video...🙏🏾

[@susannevollmer2347]

Acosta, Kumakava, Ziskaridse, Sarabia and ? We need another video!------Kimin Kim, Sklyarov, Solimosy and of course Alexander Godunov! And Damian Woetzel, Ib Anderson, Friedemann Vogel, Villellja, Damboise, ...I stop myself now! I noticed; I fergot importend nemes: Semyon Shudin, Vladimir Malakhov, Ruzimatov! And Thibaud. 😍

[@drstew1]

@@susannevollmer2347 definitely

[@user-vb8lg3qy5g]

Все красавцы удалые, но кто может сравниться с Мишей... Артист!!!

[@chhaattygroovy]

Yes mishas’ solos no matter what ballet, seem to be the way they Should be danced/ choreographed, like there is no better way, or just perhaps he is the GOAT!

[@user-jf5ie3ck1j]

Барышников - сама красота!

[@mayaamis]

their strength and control and hight of their jumps blows my mind, and they make it look so graceful and efortless

[@valmacclinchy]

13:07 Baryshnikov is one with the music 💖

[@angele810]

Baryshnikov dances while many others do acrobatics. I can hardly watch anyone else in DQ or Giselle (And Other dances, Prodigal son, etc.)

[@sidneyhamrick1830]

A STUNNING collection of videos! The dancers are exemplary. I loved this!! Please keep them coming, Ballet Girl! I’m with you on this! Another “ballet girl”!

[@georgeboehm9683]

Spectacular! Brings tears to my eyes.Corella in Le Corsaire breathtaking.

[@jonnarobinson7541]

After watching all of these marvelous dancers, Baryshnikov is still number one. I do enjoy Ivan Vasiliev. I saw him dance the flames of Paris live and he was simply marvelous. But he is always dancing the same character Ivan.

[@susannevollmer2347]

His Ivan is his greatest performance! To me the best!

[@Dima.Demidov]

I would single out the very special and academic Mathias Heymann.

[@lollylula6399]

Great to see Johan Kobborg there. He's my all time favourite male ballet dancer :)

[@amberturunen848]

Angel Corella is my favorite, but Baryshnikov is Baryshnikov

[@balletbonnie01]

Exactly!!

[@sallygardiner7150]

So much personality!

[@santiagoaguilar1103]

I could not have said it better

[@willdavolls04]

That is exactly right

[@kajiramela46]

Absolutely. No one even comes close to Baryshnikov.

[@user-fi6vu5vn3n]

Великолепно! Невозможно глаз отвести! Все хороши! Прекрасная музыка великих Композиторов!!!

[@TheGabiDumi]

Misha, pour toujours! ))

[@doris6526]

Misha at the end, certanly, he's The Best!!!!!!

[@bettycoltrane85]

Anyone who can even finish these variations, much less at this caliber, is a superhuman ultra beast. That said Leonid Sarafanov and Baryshnikov at his prime are aliens; they just seem to bypass any struggle with a physical feat

[@hrh4961]

Will Sarafanov spend his entire life looking like a teenager? (That'd be nice.)

[@gabryc.3004]

Grandissima idea questi 15....... Bellissimo video.... Grazie per averlo inserito..... Grazia eleganza tecnica... Veramente entusiasmante!!!!!

[@PlanetYokoshima]

That guy's dancing at 3:00 brought tears to me eyes...

[@SimonaBazzano-lf7vz]

when someone will invent new worlds maybe i will be able to say what Misha mesns to me... until that day i will keep him deep inside my soul as the greatest ballet artist that ever walk this earth... no one is nearly comparable with him... he belongs to another dimension... saw him two times live with my own eyes... astonishing, marvellouse, perfect in every single way.... i love him so very much!!!!💕❤️😍🥰

[@marynoonan6111]

Leonid Sarafanov's smile is as beautiful as his technique. I hope he come to Oz ❤❤❤

[@vincentmcgrath4179]

So fantastic I get the joy of the dance again watching these amazing men.

[@fofubby]

Yes

[@donnadees1971]

This is so under applauded. Phenomenally perfect.

[@atr46]

Барышников, конечно, на первом месте. Вячеслав Лопатин очень техничен: такие сложные прыжки выполняет, зависая, оттточенные движения, баланс держит великолепно, на уровне Барышникова. И Иван Васильев с его парящими, зависающими прыжками. Понравился отточенностью движений, балансом, вращениями Мэттиас Хофманн. И Сарафанов великолепен, видна прекрасная школа и техника.

[@josephtracy5176]

all are great!!! Angel Corella #1. David Hallberg #2. it is like comparing the best apple and best orange.

[@daphnesplinter2842]

Thank you for inserting Matthew Golding. He is just great. Ever seen him in Don Quichote? Amazing!!!!

[@alexandraandreeva-stadler3724]

You have chosen the best of the best male dancers! Pleasure to watch!

[@olgamikhailova5279]

Misha is superb!! As he always was. Still, I'd add Godunov - his elegance was gorgeous, and Polunin too :)...

[@LA-ph2nc]

Agree!

[@user-os2fo4gj4w]

У полуніна очі божевільні.

[@SinaiLanguageLovingBallerino]

Stunning

[@MrBubblygoodness]

Their stamina is amazing! All those jumps!

[@venkateshsthanusubramanian5576]

Oh my goodness... They are all so very incredibly talented.. my jaw dropped and I screamed out loud... This is so beautiful... Thank you for the post❤️❤️❤️❤️👍👍👍

[@lesandres23]

Number 6 was out of this world!

[@lynnearlyriser]

Thank you for Leonid Sarafanov at #5.

[@elizzy8754]

Nine double tours and pirouettes at the end!

[@philzmusic8098]

I run out of superlatives. Especially love Corella's jumps, Heymann's elegance and speed, and Vasiliev's machismo.

[@chatsworthcheer]

Corella murdered Le Corsaire (in a good way He is amazing). I adore Matthew Golding and can never forget how he ends those turns at the end of that variation. Every nutcracker I look for that...and never. Vasiliev takes my breath away. I don't think anyone could have done that variation like him. And same for Misha. He sold that performance like no other. He is the GOAT. Mic drop. Cup drop...lol

[@mounie3941]

Is very interesting video! The last danseur russe is the best.

[@stephaniecruvant9130]

Wonderful choices! Deepest thanks for creating this montage.

[@liyabuyagongo8770]

When you're clapping whooping alone to your computer....

[@Not_YourAv3rageJO]

Mathew golding is so underrated. His technique is perfect!!!!

[@howarddeangelis384]

Now that's dancing! Totally in awe.

[@angele810]

Baryshnikov is very special

[@eliezerrabelo6727]

I love it, not to fan of Vassiliev but what a wonderful compilation of male variations and bailarinos. Next time you probably should do a compilation of 30....lol... for the nay sayers, do your own compilation if so unhappy you lazy bums! I want mooooooore, Misha could be just standing still like in Giselle and still be NUMBER 1.

[@Jude74]

Thank you for making this, its wonderful!

[@mudpiemudpie785]

I've always been a Barishnikov fan. He's precise, and quite a leaper.

[@LR-yu3mx]

Breathtakingly beautiful!

[@misscameroon8062]

Thank you for posting these exciting artists

[@irene2231]

I have literally never been able to find proper words to describe Ángel Corella's dancing, for EVERY single role he interpreted, from Romeo, to Basil, Siegfried, Alì, Solor, and I will stop here because otherwise I would keep on mentioning all the male roles in ballet! His artistry and virtuosity... he just has to be loved and contemplated in all his heavenly glory 😅😍!!!

[@ReneBechard]

I so enjoyed this video! Thanks SBG for posting!

[@superbill1752]

What great athletes ! Such beauty and strength. Thanks.

[@lgomez3268]

Awesome!! great dancers. I think I'd include 'Pas Classique' in the list, with Nicolas Le Riche.

[@roccodepalma9734]

Grazie per questo video. Rivedere marco spada per me e' molto emozionante. Ma bravi tutti.

[@roccodepalma9734]

E comunque con Ivan Vasiliev in scena, non c'è n'è piu' per nessuno.

[@TheBallet1]

Great selections! Thanks

[@wagakokoro0524]

あまりにも凄すぎて、開いた口が塞がらない❗️凄い動画を、有り難う‼️

[@whataboutredlorry]

God the elevation these guys get is just phenomenal.

[@marycron3315]

No words can describe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@bellini7verdi]

jamas he visto bailar a algun bailarin con ese impetu voluptuoso..con ese poderio y con esa seguridad pasmodica..........llena de pasion...que apura el lagrimar....................de gusto...................ESE ES ANGEL CORELLA

[@josephcollins6033]

Learning so much from you!

[@stalinramirez5553]

What a pleasure to see men in ballet and they do very well, I marry one like that. It's a delight, it's passion, it's art for ballet

[@roccodepalma9734]

Grazie per questo bel video.

[@user-kf2qp7ij7k]

3.28...Грандиозно...прекрасный танцовщик.. Браво!!!!!

[@hotcocoandart]

Thank you for the video!! I want to draw male ballet dancers and this video is a great reference for how they move and the costumes!!!

[@isabelsantos8424]

Maravilloso, gracias por subir el video.

[@cracklycadukle1696]

This really motivates me because i'm a male balleriana. It sucks because a lot of people think i'm gay, but i'm not. I just love ballet.

[@fabiennefertiti3017]

Haters are gonna hate, envious are gonna envy, stupid people are gonna be stupid and toxic people are gonna be toxic anyway. So forget about those type of people, be yourself and be happy with what you do. All the best!

[@hrh4961]

Ballerino

[@JonathonLevy]

It's a very old term, yet men were and are never called ballerina, it is ballirino (as both French & Italian have gender inflection pronunciation). The more modern terms for male dancers are: danseur, principal, & danseur noble... besides ballerina is actually a classical rank in a company, yet it has become synonymous with any female classical ballet dancer.

[@marlenenascimento8495]

belíssimo, lindo, perfeito.

[@machazychaz]

We could see defined cheeks in thighs all the time but I still gasped when the kilt flared 😂

[@turniphead189]

first guy is having the time of his life

[@magaliesterbolomeyotth3709]

Gracias,me encanta

[@GilaKatz-Kfir-ip7ue]

Yes, I do too! He is absolutely amazing!

[@giselahumpert8449]

Bravissimo!!

[@kliomena]

Barysnikov !!!!

[@oana-mariasava7745]

Thank you!

[@paulabennett5105]

Brilliant. Ballet forever...

[@cromulentwords]

Christ on drums, do those jumps in La Corsaire have names? And if so, what the hell are they? Not to mention those diagonal twisty things in Flames of Paris. Steven McRae is just so damn likable. I get the Albrecht Variation music stuck in my head regularly, and I enjoyed one dancer's expressed appreciation of the role actually demanding that he look half-dead from exhaustion during that number for plot purposes. Baryshnikov is like oil and the laws of physics, gravity, and thermodynamics are like water.

[@JeremyNasmith]

The double "twisty things" in Flames of Paris are entrelace double, but with an extra half rotation to devant... Almost nobody does this step. Not even that many dancers do a regular entrelace double (which finishes in arabesque). See Baryshnikov in the Giselle, or Don Quixote variation. Actually, Valery Panov did them even earlier than Misha, maybe Misha learned it from him as they were both in the Kirov? I don't think I ever posted a video, but I used to do the same step as Vasiliev back in 2001 in the Coda of Paquita when I was dancing in Japan. If I can find the clip I'll upload it. But of course, Vasiliev's jump is probably literally twice as high as mine...

[@PressRandom]

I believe the Le Corsaire jump is pas sissone.

[@valeriehilen2875]

Press Random saut de basque

[@solomon8692]

@@PressRandom pas sissone is a turning switch leap

[@solomon8692]

@@valeriehilen2875 saut de basque is traveling forward and one leg is straight

[@Minimeowzilla]

The cups variation is the original mic drop lol

[@garotadagavea]

And Misha reigns supreme.