Our Top 10 Female Dancers of All Time

Happy International Women's Day to you all. We can’t think of a better time to celebrate and highlight the team at Ballet Fusion’s top 10 dancers of all time.

In no particular order these female dancers have inspired your instructors at some point through their training and careers. We think they deserve a standing ovation.

Natalia Osipova

Natalia Osipova is a Russian ballerina currently dancing with the Royal Ballet in London. She is one of the most charismatic and athletic dancers of our time. She takes the traditional and recognizes the role as her own. A truly exceptional dancer that never fails to wow!

Margot Fonteyn

Margot Fonteyn is arguably the most famous English ballerina of all time. She spent her entire career with the Royal Ballet and was eventually appointed prima ballerina assoluta by the late Queen Elizabeth II. She danced every classical role and was renowned for her grace and ethereal quality when dancing.

Sylvie Guillem

Sylvie Guillem is a French dancer who was appointed Etoile dancer at the Opera National De Paris at the exceptionally young age of 19. She wowed audiences with her flexible and strong body. It is said she revolutionised classical ballet, pioneering a new kind of classical ballerina.

Anna Pavlova

Anna Pavlova is one of the most famous ballerinas of all time. She was a principal artist with the Imperial Russian Ballet and Ballet Russes. She is most famous for creating the role of The Dying Swan and became the first ballerina to tour around the world. She even had a dessert created in her honour when she visited Australia and New Zealand.

Martha Graham

Martha Graham was an American dancer and choreographer. Her style of dance reshaped American dance culminating in the Graham technique that is still taught today. Her career spanned 70 years. She was named TIME magazine's “Dancer of the Century”. We couldn’t leave her off our list!

Carmen Amaya

Carmen Amaya was a Spanish Romani flamenco dancer and singer born in Barcelona. She is known as “the greatest flamenco dancer”. She was the first female flamenco dancer to master the footwork previously only reserved for male dancers and often wore high waisted trousers instead of the usual ruffled dress to show her strength and virtuosity.

Marie Taglioni

Marie Taglioni was a Swedish-born dancer of Italian descent. She is most known for dancing ballets in the early 19th century romantic style with her role in La Sylphide being her most iconic. She is credited with being the first dancer to dance en pointe. Imagine if that had never happened? Would we have pointe work today?

Ginger Rogers

Ginger Rogers was an oscar winning, multi-talented dancer and actress during Hollywood’s Golden Age. She danced with a number of partners but is most well known for dancing with Fred Astaire. Her effortless style and seamless footwork really set her apart from others at that time.

Katherine Dunham

Katherine Dunham was an American dancer, choreographer, anthropologist and activist. She has been called the “matriarch of black dance” by her peers. She was the first to combine dance movements from Caribbean and African cultures and blend them with the more traditional European-style ballet. This technique was named the Dunham Technique in her honour and is still followed today.

Isadora Duncan

Isadora Duncan was an American dancer and choreographer. A pioneer in modern contemporary dance she performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the United States. She was considered controversial in her time for using bold movements and risqué for exposing bare limbs. She was the forerunner for the dancers of today. Just think how many dancers' costumes show bare legs these days!

Who are your favourite female dancers? Are there any that have inspired you? We would love to know. Share with us on Facebook and Instagram 🧡