Rudolf Nureyev Solo Debut on American TV 1963

Rudolf Nureyev s first American solo broadcast. He danced the male solos from Tchaikovsky s Sleeping Beauty and from Katchaturian s Gayne. He seems nervous and vulnerable, especially in the Katchaturian, where he finishes in a bit of a sad and awkward pose. Because of the blurry image you can t really see his final expression, which is strained, in between a forced smile and a grimace of pain. The audience loved him. His unmistakable charisma and beauty were instantly recognized.