Principal Dancer
Galina Ulanova was the Soviet Union's first Prima Ballerina Assoluta and one of the twentieth century's greatest classical dancers, whose emotionally transcendent interpretations of Giselle, Juliet, and Odette redefined the dramatic possibilities of ballet.
Defining moments and milestones
Ulanova emerged from the Vaganova school in 1928 as a technically accomplished dancer, but her artistry deepened dramatically after joining the Bolshoi Ballet in 1944, where she became the definitive interpreter of the Soviet dramatic ballet repertoire. Her performances in *The Fountain of Bakhchisaray*, *Romeo and Juliet*, and *Swan Lake* transcended technical virtuosity to achieve profound emotional authenticity, making her the first Prima Ballerina Assoluta of the Soviet Union and a transformative figure in twentieth-century dance. Her Western tours in the 1950s established her as a global cultural icon whose influence on ballet's expressive possibilities remains undiminished.
Named the first Prima Ballerina Assoluta of the Soviet Union; her 1956 London performances were hailed as 'the greatest triumph of any individual dancer since Anna Pavlova'; awarded the Lenin Prize (1957) and the Stalin Prize four times (1941, 1946, 1947, 1950)
Leningrad State School of Choreography (graduated 1928)
A chronological journey through key moments
Recordings featuring Galina Ulanova in the Society index
Additional recordings will appear here as the catalog expands.