"Called 'Ekaterina the Great' for her impeccable technique and versatility, Maximova danced most of the major female roles of classical ballet and also experimented with avant-garde dance. She was a principal dancer in the Bolshoi's landmark, debut tour of the U.S. in 1959, enabled by the thaw that followed the death of Joseph Stalin. Partnered with Vladimir Vasiliev, the two were dubbed 'the babies of the Bolshoi' by U.S. critics who raved over their technique and on-stage emotion. Vasiliev was her partner on the stage and in life; after his dancing career, he served for five years as artistic director of the Bolshoi. Ms. Maximova won over audiences in many of the troupe's large-scale productions of the 1960s and 1970s, dancing such key roles as Phrygia in 'Spartacus'…. She was also unusual among the Soviet dancers of her time in that she collaborated with foreign choreographers, performing in Maurice Bejart's 'Romeo and Juliet' in 1978 and Roland Petit's 'Blue Angel' in 1987."—Washington Post