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Ballet was introduced into Russia early in the eighteenth century as part of Peter the Great's westernization program. French and Italian dancers and choreographers were brought to St. Petersburg to perform and teach and gradually a Russian ballet school was developed. By the twentieth century Russian ballet was world renown. During the Soviet-era Stalin used ballet to reinforce socialism and actually changed ballet plots in order to make his point. In 1948, a Georgian, George Balanchine, left Russia to establish the New York City Ballet and during the height of the cold war Rudolf Nureyev defected to dance in the West. Mikhail Baryshnikov followed in 1971. Today ballet is alive and well throughout Russia. In St. Petersburg the Marinsky Ballet Company (also known as the Kirov Ballet Company) is considered the pinnacle of the art form while Moscovites argue that the honor goes to their own Bolshoi Ballet Company.
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