(1905-1986) Ukrainian dancer and choreographer. Born in Kiev, he studied under Nijinsky, joined the Diaghilev company 1923, and was artistic director and principal dancer of the Paris Opéra 1929–44 and 1947–59. He completely revitalized the company and in so doing, reversed the diminished fortunes of French ballet.
A great experimenter, he produced his first ballet without music, Icare 1935. He developed the role of the male dancer in his Prometheus 1929 and Romeo and Juliet (music by Prokofiev) 1955.