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Despite his success and fame, in 1974, while on tour, he requested political asylum in Toronto, Canada. Then he moved to the USA. Later, he justified his escape to the West, saying he was an individualist, something that the USSR considered a crime. Even today, he has turned his back on his roots. He does not feel the need to return to Russia and considers Bolshoi Theatre’s policy poisonous.

In the USA, he worked for the American Ballet Theatre until 1978. For those four years, he danced in many productions, working with many choreographers. "There is no secret. It takes positive energy, talent, a lot of hard work, and a willingness to absorb everything possible from the people you’re working with. And some luck surely helps," said Baryshnikov for Harvard Business Review, in May 2011.

Besides his appetite for work, Baryshnikov needs expanding horizons. "It doesn't matter if every ballet is a success or not. The new experience gives me a lot," he told critic Anna Kisselgoff in 1976.

On Christmas Day in 1977, Baryshnikov played the title role in "The Nutcracker" with the American Ballet Theatre, in CBS’s TV production. The performance was nominated for an Emmy Award, and has been the most popular broadcast and television production of the genre ever since.

The ballet dancer decided to make his first steps in the cinema with the movie The Turning Point, co-starring with Anne Bancroft and Shirley MacLaine. He received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his role. In 1978, he decided to devote himself to the New York City Ballet headed by George Balanchine. Balanchine did not choreograph for him, but he taught him his special and unique style of dancing. However, in less than two years, Baryshnikov returned to the American Ballet Theatre, this time as a creative director and remained there for almost a decade.

He returned to the cinema with the film White Nights (1985), directed by Twyla Tharp, where he co-starred with Helen Mirren and Isabella Rossellini. He was also featured in Herbert Ross’s 1987 film Dancers.

In the 1990s, he left the American Ballet Theatre and prepared his own avant-garde project - the White Oak Project, in collaboration with Mark Morris. In 2004, he has already been awarded by the Kennedy Centre for his achievements and launched his new project, Baryshnikov Arts Centre (BAC) in New York. He was also featured in the last season of the Sex and the City series. He himself said with a smile that he was surprised that even today some people thought that his name was Petrovsky and he was an artist.

He danced even when he was 50. When he turned 60, however, he stopped, in order not become a laughing-stock, as he said. He has not retired yet, though. On the contrary, he has found a lot of ways to keep in contact with the audience, mainly as a teacher and actor. In 2011, he played in Ivan Bunin’s show In Paris and this year in The Old Woman, directed by Bob Wilson.