Mikhail Lavrovsky

Mikhail Lavrovsky is a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer known for his distinguished career as a principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet, where he excelled in leading roles across romantic, tragic, and classical repertoires. ^[1] Coming from a family with a long dancing tradition, he graduated from the Moscow School of Choreography under teachers Nikolai Tarassov and Gleb Jevdokimov before joining the Bolshoi Ballet in 1961, quickly advancing to soloist and then principal status. ^[1] His romantic temperament shone in dramatic works such as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Ferhad in The Legend of Love, Ivan in Ivan the Terrible, and the title role in Spartacus, while his classical technique was highlighted in roles including Siegfried in Swan Lake, the Prince in The Nutcracker, Bluebird in The Sleeping Beauty, Solor in La Bayadère, and Basil in Don Quixote. ^[1] He also performed in ballets like The Flame of Paris, Cinderella, and Laurencia, collaborating with notable choreographers including Leonid Lavrovsky, Kasian Goleizovsky, and Yuri Grigorovich. ^[1] Lavrovsky retired from performing in 1988 and subsequently returned to the Bolshoi as a teacher and repetiteur, restructured programs at the Moscow School of Choreography, and created new choreographies for the company. ^[1] He has been recognized with numerous awards for his achievements as a dancer and has served on juries for international competitions, including Prix de Lausanne in 1995 and Benois de la Danse, where he was a jury member in 1999 and a laureate in 2023. ^[1]

Early life and education

Family background

Mikhail Lavrovsky was born on 29 October 1941 in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, USSR, into a prominent family of ballet dancers. ^[2] He is the son of Leonid Lavrovsky, a renowned choreographer who served as chief choreographer at the Bolshoi Theatre for many years, and Elena Chikvaidze, a famous Bolshoi ballerina. ^{[3] [4]} This heritage provided him with early exposure to the art form from childhood, as his parents' careers immersed him in the world of professional ballet. ^[5] Born to such distinguished figures in Russian ballet, Lavrovsky grew up surrounded by the traditions and discipline of the Bolshoi, shaping his initial inclination toward dance. ^[3] His family's legacy in the art directly influenced his path into formal ballet training. ^[6]

Training and entry into the Bolshoi

Mikhail Lavrovsky received his formal ballet training at the Moscow Choreographic School (now the Moscow State Academy of Choreography), where he studied in the class of Gleb Evdokimov and under teachers including Olga Khodot and Nikolai Tarasov. ^{[5] [7]} Born to a family of ballet dancers, this heritage facilitated his entry into the prestigious institution. ^[5] He graduated from the school in 1961. ^{[5] [7]} Immediately upon graduation, Lavrovsky joined the Bolshoi Ballet company the same year. ^{[5] [7]} His virile and temperamental style drew early attention at the Bolshoi, particularly in his debut performance of the pas de deux from Diana and Actaeon. ^[3] Observers quickly noted his distinctive presence in this initial showcase with the company. ^[3]

Ballet dancing career

Early years and rise at the Bolshoi (1961–1967)

Mikhail Lavrovsky joined the Bolshoi Ballet in 1961 immediately after graduating from the Moscow Choreographic School, where his training enabled a rapid promotion to soloist roles. ^[3] His first appearance with the company was in the pas de deux from Diana and Actaeon, where his temperament and virile dancing style drew early notice. ^[3] In his second season, he began preparing major soloist assignments, including the Slave in Leonid Yakobson's Spartacus and Philippe in The Flames of Paris, the latter rehearsed directly with Alexei Ermolaev, the role's original interpreter at the Bolshoi. ^[3] Lavrovsky received close guidance during this formative period from his parents—choreographer Leonid Lavrovsky and ballerina Elena Chikvaidze—as well as from Ermolaev. ^[3] Between 1961 and 1965, Lavrovsky assumed a rapid succession of leading roles in the classical and dramatic repertoire, marked by emotional strength and a continuous pursuit of technical perfection. ^[3] His early assignments included Georgi in Pages of Life (1961), the Prince in Cinderella (1963), Albrecht in Giselle (1963), the Blue Bird in The Sleeping Beauty (1963), Vaslav in The Fountain of Bakhchisarai (1963), Frondoso in Laurencia (1964), Basil in Don Quixote (1965), Kais in Leili and Mejnun (1965), Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (1965), and Ferkhad in Legend of Love (1965). ^[3] These performances established him in the central male classical roles while showcasing his interpretive depth. ^[3] The arrival of Yuri Grigorovich at the Bolshoi in 1964 proved a turning point of great significance for Lavrovsky's trajectory, as Grigorovich's choreography provided roles that strongly suited his artistic qualities, including Ferkhad in Legend of Love. ^[3] By 1967, Lavrovsky had solidified his position as a key interpreter of the company's classical and emerging contemporary repertoire through these early performances. ^[3]

Principal dancer and signature roles (1968–1988)

Lavrovsky emerged as one of the Bolshoi Ballet's foremost principal dancers during the late 1960s and 1970s, his virile, passionate, and impetuous style shaping male dancing at the company for decades. ^[3] This period coincided with Yuri Grigorovich's leadership as chief choreographer, whose ballets provided Lavrovsky with roles that aligned closely with his artistic temperament and became signature achievements. ^[3] Among these, the title role in Spartacus (premiered 1968) stood out as his greatest accomplishment, earning him the Lenin Prize in 1970 at age 29. ^[3] He also excelled as Ferkhad in The Legend of Love and the Prince in The Nutcracker, roles that highlighted his dramatic intensity and technical prowess. ^[3] Lavrovsky formed a celebrated artistic partnership with Natalia Bessmertnova, with their performances in Giselle and Romeo and Juliet preserved on film and widely regarded as exemplary interpretations of these classics. ^{[3] [8]} He continued to perform major classical roles, including Siegfried in Swan Lake, demonstrating his versatility across the repertoire. ^{[3] [1]} Lavrovsky remained an active principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet until his retirement from the stage in 1988. ^{[3] [1]}

Choreographic career

Debut and work with Tbilisi Ballet (1977–1985)

Lavrovsky made his choreographic debut in 1977 with the Tbilisi Ballet, staging the ballet Mziri, in which he also performed as soloist and which was adapted into a television film. ^[5] In 1980, he graduated from GITIS as a ballet master in the class of R. Zakharov. ^[5] His early choreographic efforts included Porgy and Bess in 1983, where he danced the role of Porgy. ^[5] From 1983 to 1985, Lavrovsky served as artistic director of the Paliashvili Opera and Ballet Theatre in Tbilisi, home to the Tbilisi Ballet, overseeing its operations during this period. ^[5] He continued his dancing career at the Bolshoi Ballet concurrently until 1988. ^[5]

Later choreography and ballet master positions

After his tenure as artistic director of the Tbilisi Ballet ended in 1985, Mikhail Lavrovsky concentrated on choreography and ballet mastery work following his retirement from performing in 1988. His earlier choreographic experience in Tbilisi provided a foundation for his subsequent independent creations across various companies. ^[9] In the late 1980s, Lavrovsky premiered several works abroad and in the Soviet Union, including Choreographic Novel for the Tbilisi Ballet in 1986 (restaged for Ballet Arizona in 1987), Bach Suite Nr. 2 for Flute for Ballet Arizona in 1987, and Fantasy on the Theme of Casanova for Atlanta Ballet in 1987 (later staged at the Bolshoi Ballet in 1993). He continued with The Dreamer for the Tbilisi Ballet in 1989, Revelations for Citizens Company in Moscow in 1991, and Jazz Café for the Moscow Operetta Theatre in 1992. ^[9] During the 1990s and early 2000s, his output included More powerful than Gold and Death for the Moscow Chamber Ballet in 1996, where he also staged his father Leonid Lavrovsky's version of Giselle. In 2000, he created Richard III and Diaghilev in Nijinsky in Moscow, followed by Matador for the Bolshoi Ballet in 2001. ^[9] Lavrovsky serves as a ballet master-repetiteur at the Bolshoi Theatre, where he coaches dancers and helps maintain the classical repertoire. ^[9] Since 2010, he has also served as Artistic Director of the Moscow State Academy of Choreography. ^[10]

Film and television work

Awards and honours

Mikhail Lavrovsky has received numerous awards and honours for his achievements as a dancer.

• 1st Prize at the International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria (1965)^[5]
• Lenin Prize (1970, for his performance in the title role of Spartacus)^[5]
• Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (1970)^[5]
• People's Artist of the USSR (1976)^[5]
• State Prize of the USSR (1977)^[5]
• Jury member of the International Competition of Young Dancers, Prix de Lausanne (1995)^[1]
• Jury member of Benois de la Danse (1999)^[1]
• Benois de la Danse laureate in the nomination "For Lifetime Achievement" (2023)^[1][11]