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A 'ballerina' is a female ballet dancer. A male ballet dancer is called a 'danseur'.
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 ballerine assolute in Imperial Russia – Pierina Legnani and Mathilde Kschessinska – and two prime ballerine assolute in Soviet Russia – Galina Ulanova and Maya Plisetskaya. In Cuba, the only prima ballerina assoluta, a title she still holds, was Alicia Alonso. In modern day England only one ballerina attained such status - Margot Fonteyn - a rank that she still holds, even in death. Cynthia Gregory holds the distinction in the United States of being its prima ballerina assoluta.

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See also

External links

References

See also

★ Russian ballet

★ Ballet company

External links

★ The Ballerina Gallery

References