Natalia Makarova (born 1940) is a Russian-American prima ballerina renowned for her role as one of the leading dancers of the Kirov Ballet in the 1960s. Born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Soviet Union, she defected to the West in 1970 during a tour with the Kirov Ballet in London, seeking artistic freedom. Makarova’s style and technique have been celebrated globally, and she has performed with major ballet companies including the American Ballet Theatre and the Royal Ballet. Her contributions to ballet are monumental, including staging classical productions for leading companies.
