Pliset︠s︡kai︠a︡, Maĭi︠a︡, 1926-

Maya Plisetskaya, a leading ballerina with the Bolshoi Ballet during the Cold War era, became famous throughout the world as a result of her extensive touring and appearances in ballet films.

Born in Moscow in 1925, Plisetskaya attended the Bolshoi Theatre Ballet School and would join the company as a soloist in 1943. She was refused permission to tour with the company for six years, but in 1959 was finally permitted to tour in the United States and eventually she performed all over the world. Elevated to prima ballerina status in 1962, Plisetskaya was known for her strong technique as well as her dramatic ability and she danced a wide variety of roles throughout her long career. Later, she turned to choreography, creating the ballets, Anna Karenina (1972) and The Seagull (1980), to the music of her husband, Russian composer, Rodion Shchedrin, whom she had married in 1958. Plisetskaya received many awards and accolades, including Russia's highest civilian honor, the medal for service to the Russian state, second degree, which she received at a 2000 gala at the Bolshoi Theatre held in celebration of her seventy-fifth birthday.

...