RUDOLF NUREYEV is one of the enduring icons of 20th-century dance. NUREYEV: THE RUSSIAN YEARS is a new examination of the key period in his life prior to and immediately following his famous "leap to freedom" in 1961. Premiering Wednesday, August 29 on Thirteen/WNET New York's GREAT PERFORMANCES on PBS (check local listings), the special weaves recent interviews with Russian colleagues and rare archival footage of the young dancer never before seen in the West.

For more information visit www.pbs.org/gperf

A BBC production in association with Thirteen/WNET New York, the program can also be seen in the U.K. on BBC. (check local listings) GREAT PERFORMANCES is the longest running performing arts series on television. It is produced for PBS by Thirteen/WNET New York and is funded by the Corporation for Public Television, the National Endowment for the Arts, public television viewers, and PBS. Major corporate funding in provided by UBS. Special funding for this program was provided by the Irene Diamond Fund and the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust.