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.
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.
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 :)
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".
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!
+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! (-.
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
I can see now that you are featuring the best 10 ballerinas of today, and look most forward to exploring more of you site as well. Thank you again! WilesWales
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?...
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.
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.
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 ! (:
Fascinating to read everyone's remarks here!!...especially the apparent consensus!! (So difficult to have favorites when there are hundreds to name!) Jan
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.
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
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!
I can also see that you featured the 10 top ballerinas dancing today. I will have to take in more you you site in the coming days. Thank you, again! WilesWales
+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.
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
+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."
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!
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!
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.
I agree, and the different styles in "Le Corsaire" for Nunez and Polina are each an artist of their own, and this is what different styles are so very important. Natalia is great in "Giselle," Act I as well. Light as she can be giving no idea as to how much more lightly she will dance in Act II. Margot Fonteyn, is one sees her Aurora "Grande Pas de Deux," Act IV, "Sleeping Beauty with David Blair is magnificent. She was initially buried in a paupers grave, but now has a gande one in England.
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.
She put on the list based on her opinion , what she likes more not the top dancers in the world. so stop judging everything and enjoy the video .Thanks for the video.
MarLefMou, I am sorry, but most don't leave the best for last like you did. Zakharova is the best here and give the best interpretation I have seen in years, as I have seen so many "Black Swans," I didn't look at her as well as I should have. I think you've done a superb job here. Also, please forgive me for mixing up the Nikiya with another in "La Bayadere," and not "Le Corsaire." I think this video is a marvelous. Whatever you do, it seems to be done with the greatest!
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!!!!.
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.
Exactly Alonso is in the top 10 for sure - along with Pavlova, Plisetskaya, Ulanova, Legnani, Guillem and maybe Maria Tallchief. It seems the list has been a few who appear a lot on youtube, followed by a selection dancing now as the top ones. No doubt they will be replaced when a new batch comes along.
Thank you again! I also see and loved your comment on making 50 next time. I also see now that you could have over 100! You did, however, choose the best 10 ballerinas of today, who are still dancing, and I am going to look at your site some more as it is great! WilesWales
I like your list of dancers Here are my favorite: ( in no particular order) Natalia Osipova Sylvia Guillmen Svetlana Zakharova Alina Somova Gillian Murphy Victoria Tereshkina Olesya Novikova Maya Plisetskaya Uliana Lopatkina Leonid Sarafanov
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!
There are many great ballerinas who aren't in this video.. for example my favourites are sarah lamb, christiana bennett, beckanne sisk, leticia stock and claudia dean..
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.
Видеоклипы
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.
Yes!! Svetlana is the best!
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 )))
Svetlana is my favorite! I love her so much, she is my ballet role model!!!!!
My favorite ballerina is Svetlana Zacharova
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.
Great list! But I'd also consider Galina Ulanova, Natalia Makharova, Sylvie Gillem, Alessandra Ferri and Gelsey Kirkland
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 :)
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".
I agree
The best dancer in the history of ballet.
Gelsey Kirkland??? She was a gorgeous example of perfection, grace, speed, and stamina in the ballet world.
You are absolutely right. The hyper-exquisite Svetlana Zakharova is No.1!!!!
Nina Kaptsova is not mentioned. She is one of the best for me and her many fans!
For me Gelsey Kirkland and Natasha Makarova should have been on the list.
They are all beautiful, but Ekatarina Maximova is one of my number 1's....
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!
Thanks for your support and for sharing your list with me!!!
You're welcome!
uliana lopatkina
+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! (-.
+tigereyes5 Thank you as well!
Gillian Murphy and those fouettes... Blows my mind every time.
Uliana Lopatkina???
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
I'm agree with you Zakharova is the best ballerina in the world
I know; she is my ballet role model! I want to dance just like her!
I can see now that you are featuring the best 10 ballerinas of today, and look most forward to exploring more of you site as well. Thank you again! WilesWales
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?...
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.
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.
Your comments is the best
Paloma Herrera, Viengsay Valdez, Viviana Durante, Alessandra Ferri, Larissa Leshnina, Yoko Morishita, Cynthia Gregory, Cecília Kerche, Cinthia Harvey, Altinay Asylmuratova.
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 ! (:
svetlana zhakarova and polina semionova are the best... I love them
i'm obsessed with Svetlana , she is always PERFECT
Fascinating to read everyone's remarks here!!...especially the apparent consensus!! (So difficult to have favorites when there are hundreds to name!)
Jan
Yes I agree! There are so many extraordinary dancers!
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.
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
I completely agree.
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!
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.
a very fine selection, from the older school to the present, most excellent!
It is intersting you did not know about Uliana Lopatkina back then, but you knew about Alina Somova. Anyway! Nice listing!
I can also see that you featured the 10 top ballerinas dancing today. I will have to take in more you you site in the coming days. Thank you, again! WilesWales
I think number 9 should have been number 1 :) The dying swan scene, is absolutely wonderful :)
+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.
I'll check it out surely!
Мне показалось что Светлана Захарова самая яркая выразительная и технически очень сильная Безупречная
For me Margot Fonteyn witll always be the greatest artist... plus she got me most interested in ballet :D
1. Sylvie Guillem!!
I absolutely agree with your List! Great Video
Everyone should watch Maya Plisetskaya Bolero!!! It's amazing!
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
Bianca K Yes. /and Bolero was creared for her, /she was number one to dance it.
Bianca K Yes. /and Bolero was creared for her, /she was number one to dance it.
+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."
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!
Thanks for the sharing. I really like it.
1: Sylvie Guillem!!!!!
I'm glad you included some "oldies but goodies" like Plisetskaya and Alexandrova :-)
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!
obrazova, tereskhina, olesya, sadaise, lunkhina de best too.
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.
They were all exquisite! Thanks MarLefMou for putting it together, I found it very lovely to watch. It's why I love ballet.
Fabulosa seleccion de todo mi gusto, gracias.
wonderful photos¡¡¡ great video¡¡¡ congratulations. by the way, ¡ they are my favourite dancers too :-)
Correct. Ulanova was well regarded in the Soviet Union also.
also Nina Ananiashvili and Silvie Guillem
i agree!!lopatkina is my number one!!!
Ульяна Лопаткина самая лучшая!
Evgenia obrastzova its one of the most beautiful ballerinas in the world
I agree, and the different styles in "Le Corsaire" for Nunez and Polina are each an artist of their own, and this is what different styles are so very important. Natalia is great in "Giselle," Act I as well. Light as she can be giving no idea as to how much more lightly she will dance in Act II. Margot Fonteyn, is one sees her Aurora "Grande Pas de Deux," Act IV, "Sleeping Beauty with David Blair is magnificent. She was initially buried in a paupers grave, but now has a gande one in England.
The video is beautiful! For my the number one is Polina Semionova but all the ballerina in the video are wonderful! :)
Zakharova e Osipova numbers one !!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️
#1 Polina...beauty in motion. None more limber or expressive.
The body's rhythm & tone in incomparable.
Great timing & ease of motion.
my favority ballerina is evgenia obrazsova
Ekaterina Maximova is not mentioned! It's unbelievable.
It was difficult for me to choose everyone's position but I was 1000% sure about Svetlana's position! Im obsessed with her!
and Ekaterina Maksimova
I can see now how MarLefMou evaluated the 10 top ballerinas still dancing today! Thank you!
What about Evgenia Obraztsova!
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.
Svetlana all the way. She is untouchable.
She put on the list based on her opinion , what she likes more not the top dancers in the world. so stop judging everything and enjoy the video .Thanks for the video.
Yaay! Go go Zakharova!!!
For me Alina Cojocaru every time.
Maravillosa
#1 Svetlana Zakharova
#2 Sylvie Guillem
MarLefMou, I am sorry, but most don't leave the best for last like you did. Zakharova is the best here and give the best interpretation I have seen in years, as I have seen so many "Black Swans," I didn't look at her as well as I should have. I think you've done a superb job here. Also, please forgive me for mixing up the Nikiya with another in "La Bayadere," and not "Le Corsaire." I think this video is a marvelous. Whatever you do, it seems to be done with the greatest!
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!!!!.
When top ballerinas are mentioned is absolutely necessary to include Alicia Alonso, like Margot Fonteyn and Maya Plisetskaya
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.
Muy buen video :)
Exactly Alonso is in the top 10 for sure - along with Pavlova, Plisetskaya, Ulanova, Legnani, Guillem and maybe Maria Tallchief.
It seems the list has been a few who appear a lot on youtube, followed by a selection dancing now as the top ones. No doubt they will be replaced when a new batch comes along.
Svetlana's my favorite too :o
Thank you again! I also see and loved your comment on making 50 next time. I also see now that you could have over 100! You did, however, choose the best 10 ballerinas of today, who are still dancing, and I am going to look at your site some more as it is great! WilesWales
BRAVO MARIE !
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
Do you know where I can find the video of Marianela Nunez doing the whole variation?
What is the name of the first song with Carmen?
Sencilles, esplenderoso y mejestuoso!
Haha my one and only idol is Anna Pavlova. I love her so much.
Ballerinas are painfully beautiful. They are that size because of the dancing they do.
I agree - Zakharova is my number 1 too!!!
Mine is Olesya Novikova
I like your list of dancers
Here are my favorite: ( in no particular order)
Natalia Osipova
Sylvia Guillmen
Svetlana Zakharova
Alina Somova
Gillian Murphy
Victoria Tereshkina
Olesya Novikova
Maya Plisetskaya
Uliana Lopatkina
Leonid Sarafanov
And evgenia Obraztsova
Actually my list changes so often that I can't make a list I like a lot of dancers
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!
My favorite Is Marianela Núñez and Margot fonteyn
love the video. Sveta is definitely my No.1 too!! Sylvie Guillem could have been among the top 10, though. :-)
Très bon choix pour le classement
Gillian's fouettes (idk how to spell it) are amazing
Diana Vishneva is the best ballerina. She is also best looking and the nicest one.
There are many great ballerinas who aren't in this video.. for example my favourites are sarah lamb, christiana bennett, beckanne sisk, leticia stock and claudia dean..
I think Anna Pavlova, Vaslav Nijinksi and Pierina Legnani will be remembered long after Ms Zakharova. She is good, but not great.
Sylvie Guillem was not included here. She was more astonishing than all of these dancers. I still find her unmatched!
Svetlana
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.
i love dance
my favorite is svetlana,too :-D