Shura Baryshnikov is an interdisciplinary artist known for her work as a dancer, actor, choreographer and somatic movement educator.
She has co-founded various dance projects, including the Doppelgänger Dance Collective.
Baryshnikov is involved in teaching and has worked with different dance companies and theaters, showcasing her talent in improvisation, set choreography and classical verse.
Born in 1981 in Stillwater, Minnesota, USA, she comes from a background rich in artistic heritage, being the daughter of ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov and actress Jessica Lange.
Siblings
Shura has five half-siblings.
On her father’s side, she has three half-siblings – Peter Baryshnikov, Anna Baryshnikov and Sofia-Luisa Baryshnikov.
On her mother’s side, Shura has two half-siblings Hannah Jane Shepard and Samuel Walker Shepard.
Parents
Shura Baryshnikov’s parents are Mikhail Baryshnikov, a renowned ballet dancer, and Jessica Lange, an accomplished actress.
Lange made her film debut in the 1976 remake of King Kong, which attracted much unfavorable comments.
After a few small roles, she had a breakthrough in 1982, earning Academy Award nominations for Frances and winning Best Supporting Actress for Tootsie.
Shunning conventional roles, Lange continued to earn acclaim for films like Sweet Dreams, Music Box and Blue Sky, for which she won a Best Actress Oscar.
She also starred in the TV movie Grey Gardens, winning an Emmy and the FX series American Horror Story, and winning three more Emmys
Lange has achieved the Triple Crown of Acting, winning two Oscars, three Emmys and a Tony Award.
She has five Golden Globes and a Screen Actors Guild Award among her many honors.
Lange is also a photographer with four published books and a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Also Read: Jessica Lange Siblings: A Glimpse into Her Family Life
Dancing career
Baryshnikov co-founded several dance projects, including Doppelganger Dance Collective, a Providence-based dance company dedicated to the curation and commission of new contemporary works and the Contact Improvisation research and performance ensemble Set Go.
She has created for companies such as Boston Lyric Opera, Urbanity Dance, Bridge Repertory Theater and Trinity Repertory Company.
Additionally, Baryshnikov has appeared with companies like Festival Ballet Providence, Odyssey Opera, Betsy Miller Dance Projects among others
Acting career
Baryshnikov has had a successful acting career in addition to her work as a dancer and choreographer.
Some of her notable acting credits include starring in a production of Oscar Wilde’s Salome at Boston’s Bridge Repertory Theater and being a cast member in Trinity Rep’s production of the musical Oklahoma!
Baryshnikov also played in Orlando in Gamm Theatre’s 2018 production of As You Like It, and appearing with The Gamm, Odyssey Opera, Trinity Repertory Company and Bridge Repertory Theater.
While her primary focus has been on dance, she has demonstrated her versatility as an actress, taking on classical roles like Orlando as well as contemporary productions.
Baryshnikov’s acting work has been an important part of her interdisciplinary artistic practice spanning dance, choreography and theater.