Natalia Bessmertnova
Biography
Soviet & Russian ballerina, ballet teacher. People’s Artist of the USSR (1976). Recipient of the Lenin Prize (1986), the USSR State Prize (1977), the Lenin Komsomol Prize (1972). Prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theatre. Wife of ballet master, Yuri Grigorovich. Member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, 10th convocation (1979–1984). Natalia Bessmertnova was born on July 19, 1941, in Moscow to Igor Borisovich Bessmertnov, a doctor, and Antonina Yakovlevna Bessmertnova (née Peshkova), a housewife. She also had a younger sister, Tatiana. Both sisters enrolled at the Moscow Choreographic School, but Natalya achieved considerably greater success in this field than her sister. Bessmertnova’s first instructor was the distinguished Maria Kozhukhova (Natalia was her favourite pupil). When Kozhukhova died, Bessmertnova joined Sofya Golovkina’s class. L.K.Cherkasova was also one of her teachers. In 1961, at her final examination, she brilliantly performed 48 fouettés, receiving the highe...
