Salvador Dali and Coco Chanel were proud to know him. He was a symbol of Russian ballet and an outstanding representative of the Russian emigration, remembered even today. His name was Serge Lifar.

Sergei Mikhailovich Lifar was born in 1905 in Kyiv. His family included Cossacks, Ukrainians, and Poles, which is why he had an unusual surname derived from the word "likhar," meaning "usurer" in Russian.

From childhood, Serge showed an interest in ballet, and at the age of 16, he was noticed by the famous Russian ballerina Bronislava Fominichna Nijinska, who invited him to her ballet school. In 1921, Nijinska decided to move to Paris, and in 1923, at her invitation, 18-year-old Serge followed her there.

In Paris, Serge studied with leading Russian masters and collaborated with the Italian Enrique Cecchetti. The early days were tough, but he continued to work hard and lived up to Diaghilev's expectations. Serge became the last leading soloist of the "Russian Ballet," and after Diaghilev's death, he moved to the Paris National Opera, where he worked as a dancer and later as a choreographer until 1958. In 1947, he founded the Institute of Choreography, taught, and served as rector at several French universities, as well as being the honorary president of the National Dance Council under UNESCO.

After leaving the opera, Serge became passionate about painting, creating artworks and befriending artists like Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali, as well as Alexander Benois and many other outstanding Russian émigrés. He worked on preserving the cultural heritage of the Russian emigration and became a well-known collector, amassing a unique library that included books from the 16th century and 10 original letters from Pushkin to Goncharova. Today, part of this collection has been transferred to the Lesya Ukrainka Public Library in Kyiv.

Serge Lifar passed away on December 15, 1986. Throughout his life, he was awarded several high orders of France, including the Legion of Honor. One of the ballet rehearsal halls at the Paris Opera is named after him. Books are written about him, stamps and coins featuring his image are issued in Ukraine, memorial evenings are dedicated to him, and everything related to this great man is preserved.