Enrico Cecchetti (; 21 June 1850 in Rome – 13 November 1928 in
Milan) was an Italian
ballet dancer,
mime, and founder of the
Cecchetti method. The son of two dancers from
Civitanova Marche, he was born in the costuming room of the
Teatro Tordinona in Rome. After an illustrious career as a dancer in Europe, he went to dance for the
Imperial Ballet in
St. Petersburg, Russia, where he further honed his skills. Cecchetti was praised for his agility and strength in his performances, as well as his technical abilities in dance. By 1888, he was widely accepted as the greatest
ballet virtuoso in the world.