Trivia

Dated Liza Minnelli, Tuesday Weld and Isabella Rossellini.

Has four children: Aleksandra (b. 5 March 1981) by Jessica Lange; Peter (b. 7 July 1989), Anna Baryshnikov (b. 22 May 1992) and Sofia (b. 24 May 1994) by Lisa Rinehart.

When he met Jessica Lange, he spoke little English. Fortunately for him, Lange spoke French, which he could speak fluently.

Following his defection in Canada, the first ballet troupe that he performed with was the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Frequently attended legendary New York disco Studio 54.

Back when he was first accepted into the Kirov Ballet, he was so short and talented, he was allowed to skip the corps completely. They immediately made him a soloist. He was named "Premier Danseur Noble" at a remarkably young age.

Was nominated for Broadway's 1989 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for "Metamorphosis."

Taught by ballet instructor Bella Kovarsky when he was a child, Baryshnikov danced with the Kirov Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) and the New York City Ballet. He later served as artistic director with ABT from 1980-89 (his successor was Kevin McKenzie), then ran his own academy, the Baryshnikov School of Classic Ballet. He also founded the White Oak Dance Project ballet troupe. He has been called "The Nijinsky of his time", as both were of short height and stocky muscular physique, with especially developed leg strength.

Living with Lisa Rinehart since 1988.

Mikhail was a 2000 recipient of the John F. Kennedy Center Honors.

He appeared in three of the ballet programs which were Emmy-nominated for "Outstanding Classical Program in the Performing Arts" in the same year - "Giselle", "American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera House", and "The Nutcracker". "Giselle" was the one that took home the Emmy, but "The Nutcracker" remains the one that has most often been shown and is consistently the most popular. The other two have not even been released on video or DVD, due to a royalties dispute about all "Live From Lincoln Center" programs.

He was awarded the American National Medal of the Arts in 2000 by the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington D.C.

Has his own clothing line: "Baryshnikov", plus his own perfume brand: "Misha".

He was named "Premier Danseur Noble" at a remarkably young age.

He had a romantic relationship with fellow Soviet defector and prima ballerina assoluta Natasha Makarova. She was eight years his senior. She ended it because of this fact and when she needed him back as a sympathetic shoulder to cry on, Baryshnikov was already involved with another young ballerina named Gelsey Kirkland.

Taught by ballet instructor Bella Kovarsky when he was a child.

Daughter Shura (Aleksandra) Baryshnikov, whose mother is Jessica Lange, graduated from Marlboro College in Vermont, the same college that Chris Noth attended in the 70s. (2003)

During his ballet days, he danced in the style of "bravura".

Hobby is golf.

Owner of ballet troupe, "White Oak Dance Project".

Although he has been compared to Vaslav Nijinsky, he refused the title role in the 1980 bio-pic "Nijinsky". He has agreed to take on the role in the play of his life "Letter to a Man".

Appearing in dramatic roles in a series of one-act plays by Samuel Beckett, at the New York Theater Workshop. (December 2007)

Is a fan of cigars.

His given name is the equivalent of the English name Michael.

His father was an army officer.