Be the Change

Mikhail Baryshnikov could have dined out for a lifetime on his talent and fame. What good would that have done?

- Adam Rathe

The New York Times recently asked, "Is Mikhail Baryshnikov the last of the highbrow superstars?" In a year when the world's most famous dancer is celebrating not only the 50th anniversary of his historic request for political asylum in Canada but also the 20th anniversary of Baryshnikov Arts, his New York City cultural incubator, it's tempting to lionize Baryshnikov—but the man doesn't see himself as having crossed some invisible finish line.