Ivan Nagy

Ivan Nagy (born April 28, 1943, Debrecen, Hungary—died February 22, 2014, Budapest) was a Hungarian ballet dancer who was a principal dancer (1968–78) with American Ballet Theatre (ABT), where he and notable partners Natalia Makarova, Gelsey Kirkland, and Cynthia Gregory became known for their style, elegance, and magnetic stage presence.

Nagy trained as a youth with his mother, Viola Sarkozy, who taught ballet in Hungary, and he first performed with the Budapest State Opera Ballet (later the Hungarian State Opera House Ballet). In 1965 he was awarded the silver medal at the International Ballet Competition in Varna, Bulgaria, and was invited by jury member Frederic Franklin, then artistic director of the National Ballet of Washington, D.C., to make a guest appearance with his company. That year Nagy defected to the United States, and he remained with the troupe for three years. He then danced with New York City Ballet before moving to ABT. Nagy was hailed not only for his riveting interpretations of 19th-century romantic heroes but also for his powerful portrayals in contemporary roles.

After his abrupt departure from ABT in 1978, he served as artistic director of various companies, including the Ballet de Santiago, Chile (1982–86 and 1993–2000), where he and his wife, ballerina Marilyn Burr, modernized the company; Cincinnati Ballet (1986–89); and English National Ballet (1990–93).