Mikhail Baryshnikov in *Giselle* in 1986

Mikhail Baryshnikov in *Giselle* in 1986
Photo Credit: Youtube

History: June 29, 1974 – intrigue, defection, international shock

In the 1970’s the Cold War was still in full swing. Propaganda was a vital tool, and one the main components for the USSR was the Bolshoi Ballet, sent on tours in the West as a shining example of the glory and cultural brilliance of Communism.

Actually composed mostly of the USSR’s second line of dancers, it did include two internationally recognized stars from Leningrad’s Kirov ballet.

One of them was the fantastic Mikhail Baryshnikov.  “Mischa” as he was known, was well aware of his talent and potential, and of the limitations of remaining in the USSR’s rather conservative ballet scene there. He was now seen internationally as the obvious virtuoso dancer to take over the world stage from other Russian superstar male dancers,  Nijinsky, and Nureyev.

As was the typical case, he and others were closely watched by Soviet security. The KGB even told him they knew of every word and action of his official tour in London in 1972.

Nevertheless, when the troupe came to perform in Toronto,  people were eager to help the dancer achieve his potential, in the West.

Toronto arts reporter John Fraser was contacted by the New York Times critic Clive Barnes and his wife Trish and told it was critical he pass a message to Baryshnikov to call certain friends in New York.

Fraser had some difficulty in quietly meeting the dancer at a reception as he spoke no Russian, and Baryshnikov no English. Thus a broken French was used to pass the message and phone number.

Mischa later managed to get the slip from his KGB minders to make the call.

An escape was put in motion

Following the final performance in Toronto on June 29 1974, the planned escape almost fell apart, the KGB minders were ushering the dancers onto a bus, but fans saved the star by forming a crowd around him seeking autographs.

Seeing his chance, he  merged into and through the crowd and broke into a run down the street. The driver of a pre-arranged getaway car, Jim Peterson a lawyer who later became a member of Parliament, spotted the dancer and bundled him into a car and took off to a farmhouse outside the city.

There the dancer was hidden until political asylum papers could be arranged to allow him to live and work in Canada and the West.

Mikhail Baryshnikov, star of *In Paris* posing in Santa Monica California April 2012
Mikhail Baryshnikov, star of *In Paris* posing in Santa Monica California April 2012 © P/MATT SAYLES via Radio-Canada

The “defection” of this soon to be superstar was a huge propaganda blow which infuriated the Communist government while making headlines around the world.

The Soviets contacted the Canadian government saying they would welcome the star back with no consequences, and pressed for a face to face meeting, but no-one would fall for the ploy.

Baryshnikov’s first western performance was with the National Ballet of Canada.

Within the USSR, it was publicly claimed Baryshnikov was merely on an approved sojourn in the West and would return, but later all mention of him was quietly removed from records.

Baryshnikov himself said the defection was not for political reasons, but for artistic ones and for the freedom to dance with the best ballet companies in the West.

He soon left Canada to join companies in New York eventually creating his own dance company.

additional information-sources

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