Russia’s major theaters are celebrating the 100th anniversary of legendary Soviet ballerina Galina Ulanova (January 8, 1910 – March 21, 1998). Tribute concerts will be held in St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theater and Moscow’s Bolshoi Theater.

Galina Sergeevna Ulanova was an iconic figure in Soviet ballet. Russian composer Sergey Prokofiev called her “the genius of Russian ballet, its elusive soul and its inspired poetry” while another legendary dancer of the 20th century, Rudoilf Nureev, was convinced she was “the world’s Number One ballerina.”