Natalia Bessmertnova 1941 - 2008 She died of cancer, age 66. A slight, pale dancer with large eyes, Ms. Bessmertnova was known for an innate lyricism that gave her dancing a mysterious, almost unearthly beauty. These qualities made her especially notable in the title role of “Giselle.” Reviewing the Bolshoi’s London season in 1969 for The New York Times, Clive Barnes called Ms. Bessmertnova “the kind of dancer born to dance Giselle.”
