Ludmila Vlasova Russian Soviet ballet dancer, soloist of the Bolshoi Theater Date of Birth: 02.03.1942 Country: Russia

Biography of Lyudmila Vlasova

Lyudmila Vlasova, a Russian Soviet ballet artist, was born on March 2, 1942, in Moscow. Her father, Iosif Markov, was a talented musician who valued his personal freedom above all else. Her mother, before getting married, worked in the Red Army Theater but left the stage to support her family. Growing up in post-war Moscow, Lyudmila lived in a large communal apartment on Arbat Street. She would dance in the corridor between drying laundry, accompanied by music from a record player.

Eventually, her mother enrolled her in a choreographic school, and she was accepted. After graduating, Lyudmila was admitted to the Bolshoi Theater, where she met Vyacheslav Vlasov. Vyacheslav, a former dancer turned ballet master, was nine years older than her. He proposed to her and became a kind wizard in her life. Their performances together, choreographed by Vlasov and performed by Lyudmila, became a sensation and were included in programs with renowned Soviet ballet stars such as Maya Plisetskaya, Ekaterina Maximova, and Natalia Bessmertnova.

They enjoyed a successful career, with international tours, government concerts, and significant financial success. They lived in a luxurious apartment with unique design and a portrait of Lyudmila on the wall. However, the material possessions lost their value when Lyudmila fell in love with Alexander Godunov, a stunningly handsome classical ballet dancer, on the premiere of their movies in 1971. Despite the 5-year age difference, their love was undeniable. However, Lyudmila struggled to end her marriage to Vyacheslav, even reducing her contact with Godunov, who had joined the Bolshoi Theater in 1971.

After some time, Lyudmila divorced Vyacheslav and married Alexander. The early years of their marriage were challenging, but Godunov's career was progressing rapidly. However, he faced administrative obstacles and the constant threat of being denied permission to perform abroad. Godunov had a tendency towards alcohol, which Lyudmila tried to help him overcome. The attention from Godunov's numerous admirers also posed challenges, although he rebuffed their advances. Despite their difficulties, the couple continued their careers and performed the same roles as before.

In 1979, during a planned tour in the USA, Godunov requested political asylum and did not return to the hotel after a dinner. He was brought to the apartment of Joseph Brodsky, the famous poet. Two days later, Lyudmila was informed at the Soviet consulate that her husband had sought political asylum. She immediately demanded to be sent home, and her three-day flight back to Moscow became the basis for the film "Flight 222". The situation was resolved through negotiations between Leonid Brezhnev and Jimmy Carter, and Lyudmila returned safely to Moscow.

Following the incident, Lyudmila continued to dance the same roles as before. She rejected all offers from Soviet authorities to travel abroad to see Godunov, suspecting it to be a trap. In 1982, she officially divorced Alexander Godunov through the embassy and later married singer Yuri Statnik. When age forced her to retire from the stage, she accepted an offer from figure skating coach Natalia Linichuk to work with figure skaters. Among her proteges were Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh, Anna Semenovich and Vladimir Fedorov, Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov, as well as famous foreign pairs such as Fusar-Poli and Margaglio, and Cappellini and Lanotte.

Despite occasional calls from Godunov during competitions abroad, Lyudmila refused to meet him. In 1995, she received news of his death, which she found suspicious due to the circumstances of his cremation without autopsy and the scattering of his ashes over the ocean. She established a memorial for him at the Vvedenskoye Cemetery after consulting with a priest.