Valentina Kozlova is best known as a Russian ballet dancer, and Cold War defector.
She was born on August 26th, 1957 in Moscow.
At that time, it was known as the Soviet Union, a state plagued with censorship, and it had been communist for over thirty years.
Kozlova started dancing at 7 years old, and from the start - she was a very special dancer.
At the age of 9, she applied for a spot at the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet Academy - and placed first out of 30,000 applicants.
When she turned 16, she was promoted to the Bolshoi Ballet Company.
Kozlova's first trip outside of the Soviet Union was in 1973, where she traveled to Western Europe.
It was shocking for her to see the Western world. She saw through the lies that her government told her,
and realized for the first time that people do not in fact live terrible lives under capitalism.
The Cold War had been going on between the United States & Soviet Union for years, and there was constant competition between
the two countries.
They fought over political ideology & culture, as each of the powers wanted to assert global dominance & authority.
Due to this, there was a threat of nuclear war - which would destroy the world, if it occurred.
One of the cultural affairs that the Soviet Union & United States competed in was dancing. The Soviet Union brought
The Bolshoi to flaunt Russian dancers, and assert their superiority. However, ballet styles differed between the two countries - as
Soviets valued technique more, whereas Americans valued expressive performance more.
At 18, she was promoted to principal dancer, and danced the lead roles in many classic ballet productions - such
as Swan Lake, Pinocchio & Sleeping Beauty.
In 1979, Valentina Kozlova & her then husband, Leonid Kozlov, danced in Romeo & Juliet in Los Angeles. After the performance,
they had disappeared.
The next evening, the American government announced that they granted the couple political asylum.
This meant that they officially defected - and can't go back to Russia for fear of being imprisoned or killed by the government.
They would be viewed as traitors, and had no access to communication with their families back home.
But in the United States, the couple became instant ballet celebrities. Ballet companies from all over booked them to perform,
and Kozlova even pursued acting! This career opportunity made her happy, and enforced her decision to escape the Soviet Union,
because the dramatic performances would be unacceptable with The Bolshoi.
Kozlova & Kozlov began working & living in New Jersey, and settled into their lives.
Kozlova even started her own ballet company.
In 1991, the couple reunited after their divorce to dance in Moscow, for the
first time in twelve years. This dancing event was part of Russian leader Mikhail
Gorbachev's policy of glasnost (or "openness") between Russia & the United States.
40 dancers were invited to Russia to perform dances by American choreographers. This dancing
helped mend the political divide between the countries, as spectators appreciated the art for
what it was - art. Cultural events & affairs like these were successful in healing the
treacherous relationship that was previously between the countries.
I think that Valentina is very brave for defecting the Soviet Union. It was an intense government to live under -
especially for artists & creatives. In the United States, she felt that she could be her truest self, which makes me happy.
It's inspiring that she took this risk, and paves the way for many immigrants today. Plus, she has helped
countless American dancers in their journeys, with all the work that she does in New York City, to this very day.
She continues to teach, and you can tell that dancing is her passion. She has definitely earned the title of an
American woman who has been influential in history.
