You are so right. I recently saw a brief clip of him dancing- no one else there except for who was filming him. There was no orchestra. He did his leaps, etc and when he landed on the floor you could hear how loud he landed. I was talking to myself out loud: Misha! Your ankles! Your knees! Your cartilage, joints and tendons! I felt for him and the pain he would surely endure after years of this work. I just hoped for the best for him. I know there were times during performances that his physical therapist was waiting in the wings to fix him up in the few minutes he had before going back out on stage. And the surgeries. He loved the art but he paid a price for it and to give us performances that will never be replicated by anyone. Thank you Misha for sharing your many gifts.

Of course if looks easy. It’s hard work, however the end result is supposed to be clothes in a seemingly easy gracefulness.

@@emerybayblues ( I know, I was in ballet school, long long time ago, but the essence is the same today too )

⁠wow! How interesting to read all that. What an art is ballet!

I have to agree. Why don’t we promote our make ballet stars anymore?? Ask anyone to name a top male ballet dancer today and they would be hard-pressed to do so. This generation needs its own ballet stars to celebrate.

Absolutely true!

Stephanie Cruvant yes!

Вот именно танцором, а не танцовщиком, Барышников был и остаётся преимущественно танцором современного стиля, балет - это искусство поцелованных Богом, он предъявляет к своим исполнителям слишком много требований, которым Барышников не соответствует.

@Brenda Rawlins: Well said. He doesn't remind me of Gene Kelly. He tunes his extraordinary instrument to dance Balanchine and the result is sublime artistry..

They are both amazing geniuses, each in a different dance discipline, but they both share the quality of fusing amazing athleticism with an unsurpassed ability of translating music into movement. And both drenched in charm.

Great dancers Who chose political Freedom in order to. Dance in the most free way

Totally agree.