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...