A ballerina is a female ballet dancer; a male ballet dancer is called a danseur or ballerino. Although the term ballerina is used for any female ballet dancer, it was originally a rank given to an exceptional ballet soloist in the Russian Imperial Ballet. The rankings, from highest to lowest, were:
- prima ballerina assoluta
- prima ballerina
- ballerina
- premiere danseuse
- soloist
- coryphée
- corps de ballet
There were only two prime ballerina assolutas in Imperial Russia – Pierina Legnani and Mathilde Kschessinska – and two prime ballerina assolutas in the Soviet Union – Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya. Other persons awarded the title of assoluta include Alicia Alonso from Cuba and Margot Fonteyn from England.
See also
External links
The Margot Fonteyn Academy near New York City
