Famous Ballerinas: The Most Iconic Dancers in Ballet History

Ballet has produced extraordinary performers across four centuries — dancers whose technique, artistry and dedication changed what the art form could be. This guide covers the most influential and celebrated ballerinas in the history of classical dance.

Short answer: The most famous ballerinas in history include Anna Pavlova, Margot Fonteyn, Mikhail Baryshnikov (male, but iconic), Natalia Makarova, Sylvie Guillem and Misty Copeland — each transforming ballet in their own era.

Anna Pavlova (1881–1931)

Russian-born Anna Pavlova is arguably the most famous ballerina who ever lived. Her performance of The Dying Swan — a solo choreographed for her by Michel Fokine to music by Saint-Saëns — became one of the defining images of classical ballet. Pavlova was the first prima ballerina to tour the world with her own company, bringing ballet to audiences in Asia, Australia, South America and North America who had never seen it before. Her light, ethereal style and extraordinary expressiveness set the standard for generations of ballerinas after her.

Margot Fonteyn (1919–1991)

British prima ballerina assoluta Margot Fonteyn spent her entire career with the Royal Ballet, becoming its defining ballerina for three decades. Her partnership with Rudolf Nureyev from 1962 onward is one of the most celebrated in ballet history — their chemistry on stage in Romeo and Juliet and Marguerite and Armand was described as electric. Fonteyn was known for the musicality and intelligence of her dancing rather than extreme technique, and her influence on the identity of British ballet is immeasurable.

Galina Ulanova (1910–1998)

Soviet prima ballerina Galina Ulanova was celebrated as the greatest lyrical ballerina of the twentieth century. Her portrayals of Juliet in Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet and Giselle in the Bolshoi’s production were filmed and remain studied today. Soviet audiences regarded her as a national treasure, and even Western critics described her as the definitive interpreter of the Romantic and Soviet classical repertoire.

Maya Plisetskaya (1925–2015)

Also a Bolshoi prima ballerina, Maya Plisetskaya was Ulanova’s successor and in many ways her opposite — where Ulanova was lyrical and restrained, Plisetskaya was explosive, dramatic and technically fearless. Her Dying Swan became as celebrated as Pavlova’s, and her long arms and extraordinary musicality made her one of the most filmed and photographed ballerinas of the Soviet era. She continued performing into her seventies.

Natalia Makarova (born 1940)

Natalia Makarova defected from the Kirov Ballet in 1970 and went on to reshape the way Western companies performed the Russian classics. Her Giselle for American Ballet Theatre and her staging of La Bayadère for ABT (the first full-length production in the West) brought authentic Kirov style and tradition to American audiences. She later won a Tony Award for her Broadway role in On Your Toes.

Sylvie Guillem (born 1965)

French ballerina Sylvie Guillem transformed what audiences expected from a classical dancer. Known for her extraordinary flexibility — her 180-degree extensions became her trademark — she moved freely between the Paris Opéra Ballet, the Royal Ballet and international contemporary companies throughout her career. Her work with choreographers including Russell Maliphant and Akram Khan gave her a second career in contemporary dance that was equally acclaimed.

Alessandra Ferri (born 1963)

Italian ballerina Alessandra Ferri is known for the emotional depth of her dramatic portrayals. A principal with the Royal Ballet and then American Ballet Theatre, her Juliet and Manon are considered definitive. Unusually, Ferri returned to dancing after retirement and continues to perform in her sixties, collaborating with contemporary choreographers as well as in the classical repertoire.

Misty Copeland (born 1982)

American ballerina Misty Copeland became the first African American female principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre in 2015. Her rise — she began training at the unusually late age of thirteen — and her advocacy for diversity and inclusion in classical ballet made her one of the most publicly visible ballerinas of the modern era. Her memoirs Life in Motion and Ballerina Body reached mainstream audiences far beyond the dance world.

Francesca Hayward (born 1992)

British principal dancer with the Royal Ballet, Francesca Hayward became widely known outside ballet when she appeared in the 2019 film Cats. A graduate of the Royal Ballet School, she is one of the most watched current ballerinas, known for her musicality, lightness and beautiful classical lines.

What made these ballerinas famous?

The most celebrated ballerinas share several qualities beyond technical ability:

• Distinct artistic identity — each developed a recognisable personal style beyond correct execution
• Memorable partnerships — Fonteyn with Nureyev, Pavlova with her own company
• Breakthrough roles — a signature performance that defined their reputation
• Longevity and influence — they trained students, staged works or changed the direction of companies