Post submitted by Erin, one of our Student Experience Ambassadors
The 8th of April 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the death of the famous Russian ballet dancer and choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky. He is regarded as the greatest male ballet dancer of the early 20th century by many. Nijinsky was known for his extraordinary athleticism, precision, and expressive performances. He could dance ”en pointe”, which was a rare skill among male dancers during this time, entailing using specially tailored shoes to dance and turn on the very end of the toes of the feet. Without intense practise, this would break or severely injure the average person, and he was equally admired for his seemingly gravity-defying leaps. His most awe inspiring and famous performances are his contributions in works like ‘The Afternoon of a Faun’ and ‘Petrushka’. His choreography for The Rite of Spring (1913) is especially world renowned for its avant-garde style, which was so ahead of its time and untraditional for an elegant ballet, that this, alongside Igor Stravinsky’s unique approach the Ballet’s music, caused a riot amongst the audience at its premiere. Nijinsky’s career was cut short due to mental health issues. He suffered from schizophrenia, which led to his early retirement from dancing in the mid-1910s. He spent much of his later life in psychiatric care and passed away in 1950. Despite his brief career, Nijinsky’s impact on ballet and dance remains profound, and he is remembered as a ground-breaking artist.