Nijinsky

Vaslav Fomich Nijinsky, commonly known simply as Nijinsky, was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest male dancers of the early 20th century. Born in 1889 in Kiev, then part of the Russian Empire, he rose to prominence with Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, where his dramatic leaps, expressive movement, and technical prowess helped redefine male dance.

Nijinsky trained at the Imperial Ballet School in Saint Petersburg and joined the Imperial Ballet before becoming a key figure in Diaghilev's company. With Ballets Russes, he performed in demanding roles and developed a reputation for extraordinary physical daring and psychological intensity.

Among his landmark works with the company, he danced the title role in Petrouchka (1911) and achieved wide acclaim for his interpretation. In 1912 he choreographed The Afternoon of a Faun (L'Après-midi d'un faune) to Debussy, and in 1913 he created Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) to Stravinsky, whose Paris premiere provoked a famous riot. He married Romola de Pulszky in 1912, and his sister Bronislava Nijinska later became a noted choreographer with the company.

Following the peak of his stage career, Nijinsky's health declined. He was later diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent many years in psychiatric institutions in Switzerland, France, and eventually London. He died in London in 1950.

Nijinsky's contributions are regarded as pivotal in the transition to modern ballet, influencing generations of dancers and choreographers through his daring movements and innovative choreographic concepts developed during his time with the Ballets Russes.