The story behind the artifact...

Jonathan

Jonathan

VFG Member
These aren't mine, they belong to the Bata Shoe Museum, but I remember cataloguing them when came into the museum in 1996. I always thought their associated story was really interesting. These shoes were worn on June 29th, 1974 by Mikhail Baryshnikov when he defected from the Soviet Union. The 26 year old Baryshnikov ran three blocks in these clunky shoes to a waiting car shortly after the Kirov Ballet's final Canadian tour performance at the O'Keefe Centre in Toronto.
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I love hearing stories like this pertaining to antique/vintage items. Thanks for sharing Jonathan!

Sue
 
what fun to see the actual shoes he was wearing when he defected! i remember reading or hearing the news about it at the time.

i also remember those chunky bump-toed platforms. i had a pair when i was in high school, in the late 60s. i wore them with uber-short mini skirts and opaque tights, until discovering vintage shoes.

where and how did the museum acquire them?
 
I hope it is appropriate to mention this, as I do not want to highjack your thread, Jonathan.

But, I wanted to add that I met Baryshnikov back in the early to mid 1970s. I was in New York City, outside of (I recall correctly) The Gingerman restaurant. A girlfriend and I were strolling down the street and I saw him waking towards us, and I knew immediately it was him and my heart skipped a few beats. He was dressed all in black from head to toe, with a black overcoat thrown casually over his shoulders, his beautiful honey colored hair mussed by the wind and he was wearing a black fedora, tilted. I stopped still in place and watched him walk by, and I was entranced but silent (or tongue tied). He walked past and looked directly into my eyes and smiled right at me, nodding his head and tipping his hat. Then he walked briskly into the restaurant. I was literally shaking and I think I cried!! Dear GOD what a beautiful man.

I still see his eyes when I look at those shoes.
 
Great story Jonathan - I remember well when that style of shoes were in fashion. I can just see Misha running through the streets, the wind in his hair. He's an incredible dancer and I loved him and Gregory Hines in "White Nights" and bemoaned the treatment his character in "Sex and the City" received at the unappreciative hands of Carrie Bradshaw. A true artist.

What a wonderful memory Barbara! You're fortunate to have that experience.
 
Catbooks1940s said:
where and how did the museum acquire them?
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I can't remember how we got those - they came into the collection via Sonja Bata and sometimes she got shoes given to her from the people she met (and she met some pretty amazing people - mostly politicians and royalty, but sometimes celebrities from other fields as well... ) or the museum may have bought them at a charity auction, which I think is more likely.
 
however the museum acquired them, they're a wonderful piece of history.

that's a great story, barbara. he was gorgeous, and what an amazing dancer.

nicole, i love white nights. not the best film in the world, but i was willing to forgive it anything for having baryshnikov and hines dancing together!
 
Thanks for the smile, Jonathan, you brought back an amusing memory!
I had a big crush on Baryshnikov when I was a teen. One day in high school math class (circa 1979), my mind was wandering and I doodled a rather risque limerick about him. I attempted to pass it to a like-minded girlfriend and got caught by the male teacher. He read it (to himself, thankfully) and commented out loud, "Hmm, it's always the quiet ones that surprise me." Wow, was my face red!

There once was a dancer named Misha,
Who made a girl swoon when he kissed ya.
I worshiped his bod,
His tights stuffed with wool wad,
Oh, God, I'd love to unleash ya!

(I can't believe I still remember that. :rolleyes:)

Editing to add: For those who may not be aware, male dancers put lambswool in their tights to *ahem* make the outline of certain parts less obvious, as well as for some measure of protection/stability. (At least, that's what I was once told!)
 
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