Vladimir Shklyarov, a celebrated Russian ballet dancer and principal at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, has died at the age of 38 after falling from the fifth floor of a building on Saturday. His death has been deemed an accident, according to Russian authorities.
“This is a huge loss for the entire Mariinsky Theater team,” the theater said in a statement mourning Shklyarov, who had been its highest-ranking dancer since 2011.
Preliminary reports suggest the fall was accidental, with no foul play involved, Russian state media RIA Novosti reported. Shklyarov was scheduled to undergo complex spinal surgery just two days later and had been taking strong painkillers, Russian media noted.
Born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), Shklyarov graduated from the prestigious Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet in 2003 and immediately joined the Mariinsky Theater. Over his illustrious two-decade career, he starred in iconic productions such as Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, and Don Quixote. His artistry extended beyond Russia, with guest performances at London’s Royal Ballet and the American Ballet Theatre in New York.
Shklyarov’s talents earned him numerous accolades, including the Léonide Massine International Prize in 2008 and the Honored Artist of Russia title in 2020. He was widely admired as a partner to leading ballerinas and deeply cherished by audiences worldwide.
Diana Vishneva, a fellow Mariinsky principal dancer, described his death as a profound loss to the ballet world. “You were so loved by your audience. You were the favorite partner of many ballerinas,” she wrote in a heartfelt Instagram tribute.
Shklyarov was also known for his advocacy of peace. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he expressed his opposition to the war, stating, “I am against the war in Ukraine! I am for the people, for a peaceful sky above our heads,” as shared in a Facebook post by Alexei Ratmansky, a Russian-Ukrainian former Bolshoi Ballet director.
Shklyarov is survived by his wife, fellow Mariinsky dancer Maria Shirinkina, and their two children, a son and a daughter.
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