Vaslav Nijinsky (Encyclopædia Britannica)Vaslav Nijinsky, Russian-born ballet dancer of almost legendary fame, celebrated for his spectacular leaps and sensitive interpretations. After a brilliant school career, Nijinsky became a soloist at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, in 1907, appearing in such classical ballets as Giselle, Swan Lake, and The Sleeping Beauty. In 1909 he joined Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, and the company’s choreographer Michel Fokine created Le Spectre de la rose, Petrushka, Schéhérazade, and other ballets expressly for him. Nijinsky’s own works as a choreographer include L’Après-midi d’un faune and Le Sacre du printemps. Biography, legacy and suggested additional reading.