Galina Ulánova was a Russian ballerina who gained acclaim as one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. She trained early, with elite figures in the Soviet ballet world, ultimately turning as legendary as Russian ballet veteran Anna Pavlova. She was a talented actor and dancer. Joseph Stalin himself transferred her to the historic ‘Bolshoi Theatre’ in Moscow, where she remained for 16 years. Ulánova toured all over Europe later in her career and received particular fanfare in the UK. At this time, there were rumors of her relationship with Prince Philip. Of late, there has been a resurgence of interest in these allegations, following the success of the ‘Netflix’ drama ‘The Crown.’ Throughout her incredibly long and successful career, Ulánova showcased her brilliance in ballet and was instrumental in cementing Russian ballet’s reputation as the greatest in the world. After retiring from the stage, she continued teaching ballet to the next generation of Russian greats, gathering accolades in the process. Ulánova died at 88 and continues to be revered as an immensely gifted artist.
