Nijinsky's heir

Nureyev is often compared to Vaslav Nijinsky, a Russian star of early 20th-century ballet, renowned for his technique and revolutionary choreography. Countering a model of female stardom from the 19th century in which men occupied a subordinate position on stage, both Nijinsky and Nureyev contributed to a seismic shift in the perception of the male ballet dancer. Nureyev underscored that pas de deux indicates a dance for two, not simply one partner supporting the other. After expanding his own roles, collaborating with contemporary and classical choreographers of the era, Nureyev progressively began staging productions and choreographing for prestigious European institutions. He continued to pursue his goal of elevating the status of the male dancer alongside the ballerina by contributing new male variations to Marius Petipa's classics, including Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. Nureyev also updated stories such as Cinderella, transposing the fairytale ballet to the golden era of Hollywood cinema.

Like Nijinsky before him, Nureyev's technical standards were demanding, merging both the elite training from which he hailed and his own creative aspirations. His precise technical exigencies included clearly defined positions, even for fast tempos, as the legs passed from one placement to the next. In this regard, he also ensured that fifth positions were crisply crossed, underscoring the articulation of the lower legs. Nureyev applied these standards vigorously to the male dancers with whom he collaborated, developing the leaps of grande batterie during which legs cross and perform beats all while reaching elevation and travelling. Despite a step's difficulty, in his own choreography, Nureyev would often repeat movements and expect the same purity of form and execution in each instance.

In 1983, Nureyev was appointed Artistic Director of the Paris Opera Ballet, where his choreography remains a pillar of the company's classical repertoire. Charles Jude, a former étoile who performed under Nureyev's direction, confirms that while there are many versions of Swan Lake and other classics, "Nureyev's are the most difficult to dance".  He adds: "He didn't change variations so much as add to them." These new layers of choreography require great musicality and strength, particularly during challenging manèges (bold steps performed in a large circle around the stage) that Nureyev often placed at the end of variations. Many modern dancers still believe that Nureyev set the bar high, particularly for men, citing his unrivalled footwork and exquisite lines, in addition to the academic rigour of his technique and an intense desire to revisit the psychological drive of each character.