born March 30, 1876, Moscow, Russia
died June 20, 1956, Moscow
Russian ballet dancer and teacher.
After training at the Bolshoi school, he joined the Bolshoi Ballet in 1893. He soon became its principal dancer and created roles in a vigorous, athletic style that he later taught to students at the Bolshoi school. He was influential there as a teacher (from 1896) and as director (192437). With his wife, Yekaterina Geltzer , he helped preserve the classic ballets and techniques after the Russian Revolution of 1917.