Rudolf Nureyev was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest male ballet dancers of all time. He is best known for his defection from the Soviet Union to the West in 1961, which made him one of the most famous dancers of the 20th century. Nureyev was a principal dancer with the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad and later with the Royal Ballet in London. He also worked as a choreographer and teacher, and was artistic director of the Paris Opera Ballet from 1983 until 1989.