20 Greatest Ballerinas of All Time

20 Greatest Ballerinas of All Time

These greatest ballerinas of all time have left the world in awe with their movements. Every bend is calculated, and each stretch is evidence of human flexibility while their jumps are full of confidence and certainty.

Additionally, when these ballerinas turn, they display splendor. And with every glide, our emotions move along in response to their dramatic expressions. These greatest ballerinas of all time are a testament to perseverance and commitment to their craft. Meet them below and get insights into their life and career achievements.

Here are the 20 Greatest Ballerinas of All Time.

1. Anna Pavlova, Russia

This Russian ballerina took the world by storm in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was born in Russia on 12 February 1881 and attended the Imperial School of Ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre starting in 1891.

Afterward, her opportunity to join the Imperial Ballet as a ballerina came in 1899. In 1906, she rose to the position of prima ballerina. Her famous showpiece was the 1907 solo dance known as The Dying Swan.

Moreover, in 1909 her international recognition was propelled by a historic tour in Paris with the Ballets Russes. In 1913 Pavlova began dancing independently with her own company and traveled the world. 

Her contribution to the ballet world was that she made known Russian ballet to new audiences all over the world. This earns her a slot among the greatest ballerinas of all time. She died of pneumonia at the age of 51 in the Netherlands on 23 January 1931.

Check out more Top Dancers of All Time.

2. Margot Fonteyn, England

Her official name was Dame Margaret Evelyn de Arias but she was popular by her stage name, Margot Fonteyn. She started ballet lessons when she was four years old. Thus in her teenage years, she joined Vic-Wells Ballet School becoming a prima ballerina in 1935.

Additionally, Fonteyn worked for most of her career with the Vic-Wells Ballet which became Sadler’s Wells Ballet in 1946. Finally, it was renamed the Royal Ballet, a name it holds to the modern day.

Her most notable performances include The Sleeping Beauty composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Also, the Cinderella ballet version by Frederick Ashton who was the Vic-Wells choreographer.

Furthermore, Romeo and Juliet’s ballet by Sir Kenneth MacMillan was one of Fonteyn’s international sensations cementing her place among the greatest ballerinas of all time. Her chemistry with renowned ballerino Rudolf Nureyev proved their talent yet sparked controversy about their social life.

In 1972, she went on partial retirement maintaining a few performances. In her later years, she retired to Panama where she engaged herself in authoring books, livestock rearing, and caring for her family. She passed on aged 71 years in Panama on 21 February 1991.

3. Alicia Alonso, Cuba

The Cuban ballet dancer is celebrated as one of the greatest ballerinas of all time. She rose to the role of prima ballerina, doubled as a choreographer, and co-founded the Alicia Alonso Ballet Company in 1948 alongside her husband.

To add on, her company was adopted as the Cuban National Ballet in 1955. She is also remembered for the technical skills and a wide range of emotions that she employed during her performances.

Alonso was partially blind from the age of nineteen years after contracting an eye condition. Hence she used lights on the stage to guide her. Yet her partners had to be in the exact place she expected them to be for seamless coordination. She came from Cuba where she was born on 21 December 1920. She passed away in her country aged 98 years on 17 October 2019.

4. Maya Plisetskaya, Russia

This all-time ballerina legend started ballerina schooling at nine years at The Bolshoi Ballet School. At eleven years, she started performing at the Bolshoi Theatre. When she reached 18 years, she joined the Bolshoi Ballet in 1943 and danced with the company up until 1990. It was with this company that she gained international acclaim.

On top of that, she was a game-changer in the world of ballet by introducing brilliance and dramatic presence to her craft. She also became a soloist and prima ballerina best known for her roles such as on Lavrovsky’s Romeo and Juliet.

Her other prominent roles were in the 1967s Carmen Suite composed by Alberto Alonso. In this dance, her portrayal of Carmen showed her prowess in dramatic performances. She also performed The Dying Swan.

5. Natalia Makarova, Russia

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Makarova is well known for her artistic skills in classical ballets, establishing her as one of the greatest ballerinas of all time. She joined the Imperial Ballet School when she was 12 years. When she was about 16 years old in 1956, she joined the Kirov Ballet. She danced with the company until 1970 when she defected to the West.

Subsequently, she got the chance to perform in New York City with the American Ballet Theatre. In London, she performed under the Royal Ballet. Her most famous roles were on ballet classics such as Giselle, and Swan Lake.

This ballerina was born in Russia on 21 November 1940. She retired from active dancing in 1989, moved to her home country, and donated her shoes and costume to Kirov Museum in Russia.

After retirement, she has been involved in staging ballets around the world for different companies. Thus performing classics such as Swan Lake, La Bayadère, and Sleeping Beauty.

6. Galina Ulanova, Russia

She is one of the greatest ballerinas of the 20^th century. She is acknowledged for her dance as well as her strength as an actress. Ulanova grew up in Russia where she was born on 8 January 1910. Her parents were both ballet professionals so she took up ballet out of their influence.

This ballerina started ballet dancing in 1928 at the Mariinsky Theatre. As her fame grew, she moved to the Bolshoi Theatre in 1944 and became the prima ballerina for at least 16 years. Sergei Prokofiev’s Cinderella ballet makes up one of her famous showpieces.

Among her accolades is the People’s Artist of the USSR prize, which is a noble award in the country. She died in Russia on 21 March 1998 at 88 years old.

7. Sylvie Guillem, France

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This French ballerina was born in Paris on 23 February 1965. She began ballet lessons at 11 years in 1977 at the Paris Opera Ballet School. In 1981, when she was 16 years she joined corps de ballet. It is the Opera’s group of dancers who are not principal dancers or soloists.

Additionally, she was admitted to the Paris Opera Ballet in 1984 and worked with the company until 1989. From then on, she worked independently including her role as a principal guest artist in London’s Royal Ballet.

Guillem’s famed performances are on classics such as Giselle, Swan Lake, and Don Quixote. She is also appreciated for her contemporary dance with the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London. She retired from active dancing in 2015.

Check out The Best Ballet Dance Schools in Paris.

8. Svetlana Zakharova, Ukraine

A Ukrainian ballet dancer who has solidified her place among the greatest ballerinas of all time because she includes more modern ballet dancing skills in her performances. One of her headline showpieces was her “Modanse” solo program which sold out across Europe.

Besides, she was also featured in the Russian documentary known as Ballerina in 2006. The film showcased the journey to becoming a successful ballerina.

Zakharova was born in Ukraine on 10 June 1979 and her ballet training started when she was six years at Kyiv Choreography School. Later she joined Russia’s St Petersburg’s Vaganova Academy where she was allowed to skip two grades to join the graduating class.

Moreover, in 1996, she joined Mariinsky Ballet and became a principal dancer the following year when she was only 18 years. She joined Bolshoi Ballet in 2003 and that is where she has spent the most time of her career.

9. Maria Tallchief, USA

She is an all-time great ballerina born in Oklahoma on January 24, 1925. She started ballet training at three and her family moved to Los Angeles when she was about eight years to help her advance her ballet schooling.

To add on, though she admitted struggling with discrimination throughout her career, she set a record as the first Native American to become a prima ballerina. Thus she moved to New York City when she was 17 years to pursue professional ballet.

Subsequently, she joined Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and met the choreographer George Balanchine. In 1946, New York City Ballet was co-founded by Balanchine and Tallchief starred as the key ballerina. 

In 1949 her role in The Firebird ballet classic pushed her and the company to stardom. Another significant performance was the Sugarplum Fairy role in The Nutcracker ballet version. Her international recognition saw her perform with Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater.

She retired from stage dance in 1966 and began to promote ballet in Chicago leading to the Chicago City Ballet in 1981. Some of her accolades include a National Women’s Hall of Fame induction, a National Medal of Arts, and a 1996 Kennedy Center Honor. She passed on in Illinois on April 11, 2013.

10. Gelsey Kirkland, USA

She grew up in Pennsylvania where she was born on December 29, 1952. Her glory as one of the greatest ballerinas of all time stems from classic performances such as The Nutcracker ballet version. She danced as Clara Stahlbaum in this televised ballet by choreographer Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1977.

Kirkland started ballet training at an early age and joined New York City Ballet at 15 years old in 1968. She was promoted to principal dancer in 1972. Two years later she joined American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in 1974 and was a principal dancer for about 10 years. She left ABT in 1984.

She is currently involved in teaching professional ballet and doubles as a choreographer. She has also authored memoirs that voice out the struggles she faced in her career. The books are The Shape of Love and Dancing on My Grave.

11. Tamara Karsavina, Russia-England

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She is one of the greatest ballerinas of all time because she contributed to the establishment of one of the world’s top dance-teaching institutions, the Royal Academy of Dance. She also helped in starting The Royal Ballet in London.

Karsavina started her career at the Imperial Russian Ballet and later joined the Ballets Russes. She achieved prima ballerina status and moved to London where she settled and started teaching professional ballet. She was born in Russia on 9 March 1885 and died aged 93 years in England on 26 May 1978.

12. Diana Vishneva, Russia

This ballerina is regarded as one of the greatest ballerinas of all time because of dazzling worldwide audiences with musicality, flamboyance, and technical brilliance in her performances. Her ballet training started when she was six years.

Moreover, she joined the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet when she was eleven years old and graduated from the school in 1995. After graduation, she joined Mariinsky Theatre the same year and in 1996 she became a principal dancer.

Vishneva joined the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in 2003 and 2005, she was promoted to principal dancer. She left ABT in 2017 the same year she retired from active dance. Her celebrated performances include Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet, Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Giselle, and more. She comes from Russia and was born in the country on 13 July 1976.

13. Misty Copeland, USA

She is one of the greatest ballerinas of all time and is on record as the first African American woman to become a principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre (ABT). She began ballet training when she was 13 years old and joined ABT in 2000 aged about 18 years.

Furthermore, in 2007 she was promoted to soloist in American Ballet Theatre. As she served in this capacity, she expressed contemporary and sophisticated dancing skills leading to her principal dancer role in 2015.

To boot, in 2015, she was featured in Time magazine’s ranking of the world’s 100 most influential people. Besides dancing, she has authored books about ballet dancing. She also has an organization that promotes inclusivity and diversity in ballet dancing. She hails from Missouri where she was born on September 10, 1982.

Find out Amazing Facts About Misty Copeland.

14. Ulyana Lopatkina, Russia

She is an all-time ballerina great known for roles in Giselle, La Bayadère, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and more. Her performances displayed strength enhanced by her long limbs, which fused well with classical purity and top-notch musicality.

Better still, this prima ballerina joined the Mariinsky Theatre in Russia in 1991 and performed with the company until 2017. She retired from active dancing in 2017 following an injury.

After retirement, she ventured into Environmental Design studies. It covers subjects of interior design, architecture, urban design as well as landscape design. Lopatkina grew up in Russia where she was born on 23 October 1973.

15. Alessandra Ferri, Italy

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This ballet dancer is one of the greatest ballerinas of all time who reached the level of prima ballerina during her active dancing years. The Italian ballerina was born in Italy on 6 May 1963.

Furthermore, she joined the Royal Ballet in 1980 and she performed with the company up to 1984. She proceeded to the American Ballet Theatre in 1985 and danced with the company until 2007. Between 1992 to 2007, she also danced with the La Scala Theatre Ballet.

Alessandra took an early retirement in 2007 but made a comeback in 2013. Since then she is involved in occasional performances in the international space.

16. Carla Fracci, Italy

Fracci is esteemed as one of the greatest ballerinas of all time because of her exemplary performances in Romantic ballets. She took part in romantic classics like Romeo and Juliet, La Sylphide, Giselle, Swan Lake, and more.

The Italian ballet dancer began her career at La Scala Theatre Ballet in Milan. She later became a freelance artist which propelled her to international associations.

She danced with the Royal Ballet in London, Stuttgart Ballet in Germany, the Royal Swedish Ballet, and the American Ballet Theatre. In her later career years, she was involved in acting and ballet directing. She was born in Italy on 20 August 1936 and met her demise at 84 years on 27 May 2021 in Italy.

17. Yuan Yuan Tan, China

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She was born in China on 14 February 1976 and joined ballet training at 11 years. Though her mother was supportive, her father was opposed to the idea and a coin toss landed in Tan’s favor.

On top of that, she contested and won ballet competitions at an early age. So in 1995 at 18 years, she became a soloist for the San Francisco Ballet. In 1997 when she was 20 years, she rose to the position of principal dancer.

With San Francisco Ballet being a world-leading ballet company, this ballet dancer of Chinese descent is at the helm of its success. Hence earning her place among the greatest ballerinas of all time. She has danced ballet classics like Giselle, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Nutcracker, and others.

18. Darcey Bussell, London

This retired English ballerina is respected for her ability to incorporate her tall and athletic physique with soft lyricism appealing to her audience. Thus this makes her one of the greatest ballerinas of all time.

She grew up in London where she was also born on 27 April 1969. She trained at the Royal Ballet School and kick-started her ballet career at Sadlers Wells Royal Ballet. She joined the Royal Ballet and was named a principal dancer in 1989.

Additionally, though she danced with the Royal Ballet throughout her career, she also worked with international organizations. The likes of the New York City Ballet, La Scala Theatre Ballet, Kirov Ballet, Hamburg Ballet, and the Australian Ballet.

Bussell retired from stage performances in 2007. In 2021 she took part in the ballet film, Coppelia. In 2023 she received an appointment as chair of the Board of Trustees of Plymouth Theatre Royal.

You may wish to join the Best Dance Studios for Ballerinas in London.

19. Evelyn Hart, Canada

This Canadian ballerina is renowned for her excellent dramatic portrayal in classic ballets such as Cinderella, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and more. Hence contesting a slot among the greatest ballerinas of all time.

Hart performed with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet as a principal dancer for at least three decades. She retired in 2005 but returned to Winnipeg in 2014 as a cast for The Four Seasons ballet choreographed by James Kudelka.

To boot, her achievements are captured in the 1992 film, Moment of Light: The Dance of Evelyn Hartand. There is also a book that details her journey published in 1991, titled Evelyn Hart: An Intimate Portrait.

Her recent engagements include the 2022 contemporary dance, Four Old Legs, choreographed by Kudelka in which she co-starred. Throughout her career, she has performed in over 120 countries around the world. She was born in Canada on 4 April 1956.

20. Marianela Nuñez, Argentina

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She hails from Buenos Aires where she was born on 23 March 1982. She started ballet training at three years and joined Colon Theater Ballet when she reached 14 years. While on a London tour with the company in 1997, she auditioned for The Royal Ballet.

Better yet, at the time of her audition, she was 15 years. So she was forced to join The Royal Ballet School until she turned 16 to be eligible to sign an employment contract with The Royal Ballet. She was promoted to the soloist role in 2000.

Other than The Royal Ballet, she has performed as a guest artist in countries like Austria, the U.S., Italy, and Australia. Thus her international presence makes her rank among the greatest ballerinas of all time. She has performed classics such as Don Quixote, Giselle, Swan Lake, and others.

These greatest ballerinas of all time have elevated ballet from movements and physicality to artistic expression. With every leap and turn they connect with our emotions captivating us in every sense. Besides, their achievements speak of their brilliance, dedication, discipline, and commitment to their craft, serving as a legacy for generations.