Ballet Controversies

Rudolf Nureyev, a Soviet ballet dancer, defected to the West in 1961, causing a major international incident.

Giselle, a romantic ballet, caused a scandal in Paris in 1841 due to its depiction of a peasant girl who dies of heartbreak and returns as a vengeful ghost.

New York City Ballet and American Ballet Theatre were involved in a legal battle over the rights to perform George Balanchine's ballets after his death in 1983.

Margot Fonteyn, a prima ballerina assoluta of the Royal Ballet, was fired in 1963 for wearing a black leotard instead of the traditional white one.

American Ballet Theatre was accused of sexual harassment and abuse in 2018, leading to the resignation of its artistic director, Kevin McKenzie.

Spartacus, a ballet by Aram Khachaturian, was banned in the Soviet Union in 1932 due to its depiction of a love affair between a Soviet soldier and a German woman.

Darcey Bussell, a principal dancer of the Royal Ballet, was criticized for her weight and appearance in the 1990s, leading to a debate about body image in ballet.

The Mikado, a comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, was accused of cultural appropriation when it was performed by a non-Japanese company.

Carlos Acosta, a principal dancer of the Royal Ballet, was criticized for his decision to retire from the company at the age of 27.

Romeo and Juliet, a ballet by Sergei Prokofiev, was accused of being too violent and graphic for a family audience.

New York City Ballet was criticized for its lack of diversity in its casting and programming.

Rite of Spring, a ballet by Igor Stravinsky, was accused of being too experimental and avant-garde for a traditional ballet audience.

Sylvie Guillem, a principal dancer of the Paris Opera Ballet, was criticized for her decision to perform en pointe in a contemporary dance piece.

Spartacus, a ballet by Aram Khachaturian, was accused of being too political and controversial for a ballet stage.

Bolshoi Ballet was criticized for its decision to stage a ballet based on the life of Joseph Stalin.