Natalia Makarova

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Nataliya Romanovna Makarova is a ballet dancer. She was born November 21, 1940 in Leningrad in the USSR. When she was 13, she auditioned for the Vaganova Choreographic Institute despite being significantly older than most applicants. She was a performer with the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad from 1956 to 1970. She made the decision to defect to the West while on tour in 1970, due to both personal and professional unhappiness.

After she defected, she performed with the American Ballet Theater and Royal Ballet. When she first defected, she was eager to expand her choreography by dancing ballets by modern choreographers. However, she remained most identified with classical roles like Swan Lake and Giselle. She was featured as Odette and Odile in a notable 1976 live American Ballet Theatre production of Swan Lake, simulcast from Lincoln Center on both PBS and NPR. According to the 2004 Britannica, "Makarova's magnificent technique and acting sensibilities allowed her to excel in many different roles", although she is remembered primarily for her title role in Giselle. She was slim and slight, and combined a delicacy and lyricism with impeccable classical training.

In 1989, Natalia Makarova returned to her home theater, the Kirov Ballet, and was reunited with all her old colleagues, teachers, and family. Her emotional homecoming was documented in a film, Makarova Returns. After her performance at the Kirov, she retired, dedicating her shoes and costumes to the Kirov Museum. Today Natalia Makarova stages ballets such as Swan Lake, La Bayadère, and Sleeping Beauty for companies across the world.

In addition to being one of the most famous ballerinas, Makarova won a Tony Award for her performance in the show On Your Toes. She appeared as Lydia Lopokova, (Lady Keynes) in 'Wooing in Absence' compiled by Patrick Garland. It was first performed at Charleston Farmhouse and then at Tate Britain.

Preceded by Jennifer Holliday in Dreamgirls	Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical 1983 for On Your Toes	Succeeded by Chita Rivera in The Rink