20 of the World’s Most Famous Dancers 2023

The world of dance has evolved dramatically over the past 100 years. While people have been dancing since man first walked, it’s only in recent years that the act of dancing has become so renowned and loved by people. Ballet and ballroom dancing might have been all the rage in the early 1900s, but these days modern dance, which includes everything from jazz dance to hip hop dance, is practiced by thousands across the globe. Many of the world’s most famous dancers have been part of this movement to make dancing a well-known endeavor. People who dance professionally can earn good money while traveling the globe supporting big-time acts. Shows such as Dance Academy and Strictly Come Dancing have also exposed dancing to new audiences. 

The rise of dance has coincided with a newfound enthusiasm for the sport, with many wanting to know more about the history of dance and those who have helped it become popular. People like Fred Astaire and Michael Jackson helped changed the way people look at dance. For that reason, we are focusing on some of the world’s most famous dancers and looking at the impact they’ve had on dance over the years. 

20 of the World’s Most Famous Dancers

1. Fred Astaire

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American dancer Fred Astaire did it all. Regarded by many as the greatest dancer in film, Astaire was also an actor, singer, choreographer, and television presenter. His career spanned an incredible 76 years and included movies such as Top Hat, Shall We Dance, and Funny Face. He was widely praised for taking tap dancing to another level in the movies Holiday Inn, Easter Parade, and The Band Wagon.

The Broadway dancer also helped make many songs popular with his dancers and won multiple awards throughout his career, including three Emmy Awards and one Oscar. He will forever be remembered as one of Hollywood’s greatest talents. 

2. Anna Pavlova

While she might have a comical name, there was nothing funny about Anna Pavlova. The Russian ballerina was a master of her chosen field who changed how people looked at ballerinas. Small and thin, she became the archetype for modern ballet dancers and was responsible for the creation of the role of The Dying Swan in the famous ballet. 

A member of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev, Pavlova was also one of the first big-name ballet dancers to tour the world, playing everywhere from South America to Australia. She helped change people’s perspective on ballet and her choreography continues to be an inspiration to dancers today. 

3. Gene Kelly

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The main rival for Fred Astaire’s throne, Gene Kelly was another famous dancer who made his mark on the world. Initially only able to find work as a choreographer, Kelly’s talents soon got him noticed and he began appearing on Broadway. This led him to Hollywood, where Kelly would establish himself as one of the greats. 

Kelly was everywhere during the golden era of musicals, starring in massive hits An American in Paris, Singin’ in the Rain, and Cover Girl. An Academy Award winner, Kelly was part of the generation that helped turn ballet into a popular art while also making the musical a viable genre of movie. 

4. Mikhail Baryshnikov

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If there is one thing Russia is known for, it’s the country’s ability to produce incredible dancers. Mikhail Baryshnikov is no exception. Considered by many to be the greatest living male ballet dancer, Baryshnikov has not only performed on Broadway and stages around the world but has parlayed his success into the movie business. 

Helping make modern dance successful, the dancer, choreographer, and dance director was Oscar-nominated for his role in The Turning Point, while also reviewed praise for his part in White Nights and Sex and the City, where he had a recurring role in the final season of the hit show. 

Baryshnikov currently lives in the United States, having defected from Russia in 1974, with his dancer wife Lisa Rinehart, and their three children.

5. Michael Flatley

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“The Lord of the Dance” made Irish dancing famous, in turn creating a multi-million dollar business. Michael Flatley, a gifted dancer, got his big break when he was asked to create a short dance number to be performed during an interval of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. Named Riverdance, the seven-minute dance was a big success, leading to Flatley to adapt it as a full-stage show. 

Riverdance was a big success, but Flatley left to pursue his own ventures. Lord of the Dance,  Feet of Flames, and Celtic Tiger were the three shows he crafted. It’s believed over 60 million people in 60 countries have seen at least one of these shows, with all three having grossed over $1 billion.

Although retired due to injuries, Flately continues to dabble in the arts, having written, directed, and starred in the spy movie Blackbird and turned to painting as another creative outlet. 

6. Sammy Davis Jr.

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Of all the Rat Pack, Sammy Davis Jr. was the one who had the best rhythm. First finding success with his father Sammy Davis Sr. and the Will Mastin Trio, Davis Jr. quickly found himself part of the Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin-led Rat Pack after appearing in Ocean’s 11. His mother had been a tap dancer and his father was a vaudevillian, so it’s easy to see where Davis Jr. got his talent. 

Supremely talented, Davis Jr. could sing, dance, act, and tell jokes. He was the ultimate performer whose legacy continues today with many African American artists inspired by what he did. 

7. Martha Graham

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Martha Graham pioneered the Graham technique, a form of modern dance that changed America’s approach to dance and is still used as a teaching tool today. Graham studied at the Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts but felt the style was too restrictive. She wanted to create a dance that was stripped back and more in touch with raw human emotion. That turned out to be the Graham technique. 

Graham would go on to dance and teach for 70 years, even opening her own school, the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance in 1926. She continued to work right up until her death at age 96 in 1991, choreographing plays while finishing her memoir, Blood Memory.

8. Isadora Duncan

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Born in San Francisco, Isadora Duncan was another dancer who craved more than the rigid rules and regulations of dance. Disillusioned with the American dance scene, Duncan spent almost 30 years living, teaching, and dancing in Western Europe, Russia, and America practicing her own form of dance. 

Known as “The Mother of Dance,” Duncan had a big impact on many young dancers, with her teachings still adopted by many dancers today. Sadly she passed at 50 in a tragic accident when the scarf she was wearing got tangled in the axle of a car she was traveling in, breaking her neck and killing her instantly.

9. Michael Jackson

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While it’s hard to talk about Michael Jackson without mentioning his shady past, there is no denying his talents as a dancer. The King of Pop brought dance back into the spotlight with his unconventional moves. He is credited with creating the moonwalk and his dance moves were sharp and quick, often involving Jackson’s arms flicking out at odd angles as he moved to the beat. 

Many of his best dance moves can be seen in his film clips, with “Billie Jean,” “Thriller,” and “Smooth Criminal” all great examples of Jacko’s dancing. 

10. Rudolf Nureyev

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Before Michale Flately, Rudolf Nureyev was the real “Lord of the Dance.” The Russian dancer sparked controversy in 1961 when he defected from the Soviet Union to the West, making him the first artist to do so. Once settled in Europe, Nureyev would go on to have much success as a dancer and choreographer.

He danced with The Royal Ballet in London, was the director of the Paris Opera Ballet for six years in the 80s, and performed many adaptations of classical works such as Swan Lake. 

11. Misty Copeland

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Misty Copeland is a dancer for the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). She has the distinction of being the first African American promoted to principal dancer in ABT’s 75-year history. A dance prodigy, Copeland only took up ballet at the age of 13, but by the time she hit adulthood had already won multiple awards and was headlining dance shows across America. 

As well as being an American dance icon, Copeland is a public speaker who has also appeared on the reality shows A Day in the Life and So You Think You Can Dance, modeled for various brands, and once toured as a dancer for Prince. 

12. Chris Brown

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Many believe Chris Brown is the modern-day Michael Jackson. While a slight stretch, there are certainly similarities between the two. Like Jackson, Brown is a massive R&B star who has had multiple number one albums and singles. He’s also one hell of a dancer whose moves are clearly influenced by Wacko Jacko. 

Brown also has a murky past, having been convicted of assaulting his former girlfriend Rihanna. While not as bad as the child abuse claims leveled at Jackson, it’s still a horrible thing to have done. But this doesn’t seem to bother his fans, who still flock to see him perform live. 

13. Gregory Hines

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Gregory Hines is another dancer who could do it all. He could act, he could sing, and he could dance. He made his Broadway debut in 1954 and would go on to perform in movies, on TV, and in front of thousands on stage. While older audiences will remember Hines for his dancing and singing, younger people will be more aware of Hines’ acting career.

The Cotton Club, Running Scared, and The Preacher’s Wife were big hits, while his appearances on Will & Grace and Little Bill opened him up to an entirely new generation of fans. 

14. Gillian Murphy

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Unless you’re a big dance fan, the name Gillian Murphy probably isn’t one you’re familiar with. The English-born Murphy is a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. She joined the theatre’s corps de ballet in August 1996 at the age of 17, having just completed her schooling. 

It didn’t take long for her to make her presence felt, with Murphy promoted to soloist in 1998, just two years after she enrolled in the theatre. She has been with the company for over 20 years and performed in some huge productions, such as The Nutcracker, Western Symphony, and Tarantella.

15. Alvin Ailey

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Few dancers have managed what Alvin Ailey did during his time on this earth. The African-American dancer fused traditional techniques with ballet, jazz, and contemporary dance to create incredible performances surrounding themes of race and sexuality. As a gay black man, Ailey wanted people to understand more about what life is like for a black man in America. 

He created the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) and several offshoots, while his performative dance piece, Revelations, is considered his greatest gift to dance and is still performed to this very day around the world. 

16. Katherine Dunham

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Katherine Dunham is another dancer and teacher who created her own teachings known as the Dunham Technique. She was in charge of the Katherine Dunham Dance Company for 30 years and performed extensively throughout Europe and South America. Dunham is believed to have choreographed over 90 dancers during her life and helped push modern African-American dance theories. 

The Dunham Technique takes influence from African and Afro-Caribbean dances and is still taught by several theatres today. 

17. Vaslav Nijinsky

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Russian ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinsky is considered one of the great dancers of the 20th century. What set him apart from the rest was his acrobatic nature, with Nijinsky able to seemingly float through the air seamlessly and dance en pointe (on his toes) with ease. 

Nijinsky was a star during the early 1900s, performing throughout Europe, America, and South America. He became the lover of Sergei Diaghilev, who owned the Ballets Russes theatre, but when Nijinsky left him for young woman Romola de Pulszky, he was fired from the company. Struggling for work and trying to provide for his young family (he and del Pulszky had two children), Nijinsky’s mental state went downhill. He was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1919, just over ten years since he began his career as a dancer. 

He spent the next 30 years in and out of mental health facilities before passing away in 1950, having never performed live again since his diagnosis. 

18. Patrick Swayze

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When talking about famous dancers that everybody knows, Patrick Swayze is one name you can’t ignore. While his acting career took center stage, Swayze was an accomplished dancer who trained at the Harkness Ballet and Joffrey Ballet schools. He performed in the Broadway adaptation of Grease before the acting bug took over. 

But it was his love of dance (and great skill) that helped Swayze land the life-changing role in Dirty Dancing. The movie allowed Swayze to not only show off his acting skills but his phenomenal dancing ability. The movie was a massive success and helped turn Swayze into a heartthrob. 

Categories: Entertainment
Source: Tekmonk Famous Biography