Vaslav Nijinsky, Russian Ballet Dancer

Vaslav Nijinsky (March 12, 1889/1890 - April 8, 1950) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer. At age 9 Nijinsky was accepted at the Imperial Ballet School. In 1907 he graduated and became a member of the Imperial Ballet. In 1909 he joined the Ballets Russes, a ballet company started by Sergei Diaghilev. Nijinsky became the company's star male dancer, causing an enormous stir amongst audiences whenever he performed. In 1912 he began choreographing original ballets; L'apr?s-midi d'un faune (1912), Jeux (1913), and Till Eulenspiegel (1916). In 1913 he married Romola de Pulszky while on tour with the company, this caused a break with Diaghilev, who dismissed him from the company. Nijinsky became increasingly mentally unstable. After a tour of South America in the family settled in St. Moritz, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1919 and committed to an asylum. For the next 30 years, he was in and out of institutions, never dancing again in public. He died in 1950 at the age of 61. Photographed by Bain News Service, circa 1910-15.became increasingly mentally unstable. After a tour of South America in the family settled in St. Moritz. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1919 and committed to an asylum. For the next 30 years, he was in and out of institutions, never dancing again in public. He died in 1950 at the age of 61. Photographed by Bain News Service, circa 1910-15

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