at the end of October 1962, U.S. and Soviet relations were at a low point. Diplomats of both countries considered her friendship with Kennedy to be a great benefit to warmer relations, after weeks of worrisome military confrontation. Years later, when they met in 1968, he was then campaigning for the presidency, and diplomats again suggested that their friendship would continue to help relations between the two countries. Plisetskaya summarizes Soviet thoughts on the matter: Of their friendship, Plisetskaya wrote in her autobiography: Robert Kennedy was assassinated just days before he was to see Plisetskaya again in New York. Gershunoff, Plisetskaya's manager at the time, recalls that on the day of the funeral, most of the theaters and concert halls in New York City went "dark", closed in mourning and respect. The Bolshoi likewise planned to cancel their performance, but they decided instead to do a different ballet than planned, one dedicated to Kennedy. Gershunoff describes that evening: Awards and honors Plisetskaya was honored on numerous occasions for her skills: Russia Order of Merit for the Fatherland 1st class (20 November 2005) – for outstanding contribution to the development of domestic and international choreographic art, many years of creative activity 2nd class (18 November 2000) – for outstanding contribution to the development of choreographic art 3rd class (21 November 1995) – for outstanding contributions to national culture and a significant contribution to contemporary choreographic art 4th class (9 November 2010) – for outstanding contribution to the development of national culture and choreography, many years of creative activity Made an honorary professor at Moscow State University in 1993. Soviet Union Hero of Socialist Labour (1985) Three Orders of Lenin (1967, 1976, 1985) Lenin Prize (1964) People's Artist of USSR (1959) People's Artist of RSFSR (1956) Honoured Artist of the RSFSR (1951) Other decorations Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters (France, 1984) Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain) Commander of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas Great Commander's Cross of the Order for Merits to Lithuania (2003) Gold Medal of Gloria Artis (Poland, 2008) Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class (Japan, 2011) Officer of the Légion d'honneur (France, 2012; Knight: 1986) Awards First prize, Budapest International Competition (1949) Anna Pavlova Prize, Paris Academy of Dance (1962) Gold Prize, Slovenia, 2000. "Doctor of the Sorbonne" in 1985. Gold Medal of Fine Arts of Spain (1991)