Biography
Léonide Massine, also known as Leonid Fyodorovich Myasin, was a Russian dancer, choreographer and actor. Born in Moscow in 1896, he trained at the Imperial Theatre School and became a principal dancer with Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, later creating numerous ballets including the first symphonic ballet, Les Présages.
Massine appeared in two films directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. He played Grischa Ljubov in The Red Shoes (1948) and took multiple roles in The Tales of Hoffmann (1951). He continued choreographing and dancing until his death in 1979.
