Passages: Legendary ballerina Ekaterina Maximova

Published 10:07 pm Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Legendary Russian ballerina Ekaterina Maximova, who graced the stage of the Bolshoi Theater for 30 years, died Tuesday. She was 70.

The theater said Maximova died at home and no cause of death was immediately determined. She had been working as a ballet coach and was not known to be suffering from ill health.

Maximova’s dancing career at the Bolshoi spanned three decades, from her debut as Masha in “The Nutcracker” in 1958 until 1988. Called “Ekaterina the Great,” or Catherine the Great, for her impeccable technique and versatility, she danced most of the major female roles of classical ballet and also experimented with avant-garde dance.

Associated Press