Reflections: Rudolf Nureyev

Great Performances: Nureyev Learn about the life and career of this iconic performer. NUREYEV: THE RUSSIAN YEARS premieres on August 29, 2007 on PBS I'm happy to have turned on the television in our kitchen to watch as I ate something, because I was just in time to watch Nureyev: The Russian Years, which I thoroughly enjoyed in a bittersweet way. Nureyev: we love you.

I've thought about this, tremendously moved by the whole life and beauty and tragedy of Rudolf Nureyev and have been drawn back to this blog to share my reflections of him, these two nights later.

NUREYEV: THE RUSSIAN YEARS gave me hope, put me in a good mood, glowing about another "Good Will Hunting" who was able to rise above his circumstances and excel, driven by destiny it appears from an early age, yet not religious, sensuous, putting a twinkle in my eye as if I had met Nureyev in person, in the flesh, and yet grieve I was never able to see him perform or know him.

I love his dancing in the streets, his freedom and physique, his youthful rebellion, going against convention, his drive and how photogenic he must have known he was and how life demands we make a choice or it will be made for us like Nureyev was forced to decide, quickly, unexpectedly, at the airport in Paris to return to Russia or defect, yet his East German advocate of going to the West to dance on the world stage, when beckoned to join him, hesitated, his mother reminding him of responsibilities, school and such, and the Berlin Wall went up that night and trapped him and sealed his fate.

Rudolf Nureyev cried out for asylum in France, "I want to be free!" Dear Nureyev, the best dancer in the world, we all do....