Shura Baryshnikov
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Aleksandra "Shura" Lange Baryshnikova (; born March 5, 1981) is an American dancer, choreographer, educator, and actress.


Early life

Aleksandra Lange Baryshnikov is the daughter of ballet dancer
Mikhail Baryshnikov Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov ( rus, Михаил Николаевич Барышников, p=mʲɪxɐˈil bɐ'rɨʂnʲɪkəf; ; born January 27, 1948) is a Latvian and American dancer, choreographer, and actor. He was the preeminent male ...
and actress
Jessica Lange Jessica Phyllis Lange (; born April 20, 1949) is an American actress. With a career spanning over five decades, she is known for her roles Jessica Lange on screen and stage, on stage and screen. She has received List of awards and nominati ...
. She is of Finnish descent through her maternal grandmother, of Russian descent through her father, and of
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
descent through her maternal grandfather. She has five half-siblings; three on her father's side, including actress
Anna Baryshnikov Anna Katerina Baryshnikova ( born May 22, 1992) is an American actress. Following her film debut in ''Wiener-Dog (film), Wiener-Dog'' (2016), Baryshnikov had supporting roles in films such as ''Manchester by the Sea (film), Manchester by the Sea' ...
, and two on her mother's side. Baryshnikov trained in
classical ballet Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as en pointe, pointe work, turnout (ballet), turnout of the legs, ...
as a child, and grew up accompanying her mother to different filming locations. In high school Baryshnikov competed in diving, ran track, rode horses, and played field hockey. She went on to attend
Marlboro College Marlboro College was a private college in Marlboro, Vermont. Founded in 1946, it remained intentionally small, operating as a self-governing community with students following self-designed degree plans culminating in a thesis. In 1998, the colle ...
in
Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
, where she majored in American studies and also studied theatre and contemporary dance. While at Marlboro she was a member of the student a cappella group Five-O'Clock Bells.


Career

Baryshnikov is the head of Movement at the
Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
/
Trinity Repertory Company Trinity Repertory Company (commonly abbreviated as Trinity Rep) is a non-profit regional theater located at 201 Washington Street in Providence, Rhode Island. The theater is a member of the League of Resident Theatres. Founded in 1963, the the ...
MFA Program in Acting and Directing as well as a teaching associate in the Department of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies at
Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
, teaching contact improvisation, movement, and dance. She has worked as a choreographer and movement consultant for Trinity Repertory Company, The Wilbury Theatre Group, and Elemental Theatre Collective. As a freelance dancer, she has performed in works by Heidi Henderson, Ali Kenner-Brodsky, and Betsy Miller. She has also danced with Aerplaye Dance, American Dance Legacy Initiative, Festival Ballet Providence, Bridge Rep of Boston, Elemental Theatre Collective, and Lostwax Multimedia Dance. She is on the faculty at Festival Ballet Providence School and has taught movement at Earthdance in
Plainfield, Massachusetts Plainfield is a town on the northwestern edge of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, about 25 miles east of Pittsfield and 30 miles northwest of Northampton. The population was 633 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfiel ...
, and at
Salve Regina University Salve Regina University is a private coeducational Roman Catholic university in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. It was founded in 1934 by the Sisters of Mercy and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. The univer ...
,
Connecticut College Connecticut College (Conn) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in New London, Connecticut. Originally chartered as Thames College, it was founded in 1911 as the state's only women's colle ...
,
Dean College Dean College is a private college in Franklin, Massachusetts. It offers bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, and certificates. History Dean College was founded by Oliver Dean as a co-educational academy, Dean Academy, in 1865. He gave t ...
,
Rhode Island College Rhode Island College (RIC) is a public college in Rhode Island, United States, with much of the land in Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, and other parts in North Providence, Rhode Island, North Providence. The college was established in 18 ...
, and
MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sc ...
. She is also a dance teacher at the
Moses Brown School Moses Brown School is an independent, Quaker, college preparatory school, currently with 774 students, located in Providence, Rhode Island,offering pre-kindergarten through secondary school classes. Founded in 1784 by Moses Brown, a Quaker ab ...
. She trained in Viewpoints improvisational techniques with the SITI Company under
Anne Bogart Anne Bogart (born September 25, 1951) is an American theatre and opera director. She is currently one of the artistic directors of SITI Company, which she founded with Japanese director Tadashi Suzuki in 1992. She is a professor at Columbia Uni ...
. She is a member of Actors' Equity Association. Baryshnikov is the co-founder, along with Danielle Davidson, of the Doppelganger Dance Collective. She starred in a production of
Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...
's ''Salome'' at Boston's Bridge Repertory Theater and was a cast member in Trinity Rep's production of the musical ''
Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...
'' She played Orlando in Gamm Theatre's 2018 production of As You Like It. Her performance work has been presented by the
RISD Museum The Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD Museum) is an art museum integrated with the Rhode Island School of Design, in Providence, Rhode Island, US. The museum was co-founded with the school in 1877. It is the 20th-largest art m ...
, Providence Fringe Festival, the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, and in the Moving Arts Lab at Earthdance.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baryshnikov, Shura Living people 1981 births 21st-century American dancers 21st-century American actresses Actresses from Rhode Island American women choreographers American choreographers American female dancers American contemporary dancers American people of Dutch descent American people of Finnish descent American people of German descent American people of Russian descent
Shura Shura () is the term for collective decision-making in Islam. It can, for example, take the form of a council or a referendum. The Quran encourages Muslims to decide their affairs in consultation with each other. Shura is mentioned as a praise ...
Place of birth missing (living people) American stage actresses American dance teachers Brown University faculty Salve Regina University faculty Connecticut College faculty Rhode Island College faculty MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences faculty Dancers from Rhode Island Dancers from Minnesota American women academics