VLADIMIR MALAKHOV

Vladimir Malakhov is recognized worldwide as one of the greatest dancers of his generation. A multi-award winner with first prizes from international competitions in Paris, Moscow, and Varna, Malakhov has dazzled audiences with his combination of technical brilliance and lyrical eloquence. Vladimir Malakhov was born in 1968 in Krivoy Rog, Ukraine. He began his dance training at the age of four at the local ballet school. He continued his studies at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow from the age of ten under the tutelage of Petr Pestov, and upon graduation in 1986 joined the Moscow Classical Ballet as the company’s youngest Principal Dancer. Mr. Malakhov joined the Vienna State Opera Ballet as a Principal Artist in 1992, and the National Ballet of Canada in 1994. In the spring of 1995, Mr. Malakhov had his debut with the American Ballet Theatre at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Major choreographers have created ballets especially for Vladimir Malakhov and during his guest performances performed in the major venues around the world, such as Paris, London, Tokyo, Stuttgart, Milan, Rome, Munich, Sydney, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, Moscow, St. Petersburg, among many others.

From 1996 until 2014, at the invitation of world-famous Japanese impresario Tadatsugu Sasakiand NBS Japan Performing Arts Foundation, Vladimir’s program “A Gift from Malakhov” was presented annually in major theatres across Japan. Whilst still performing at the Vienna State Opera and American Ballet Theatre, in 2002 he was invited by Daniel Barenboim to direct the Ballet Company of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, Germany. From 2004 until 2014, Mr. Malakhov was the Intendant and Artistic Director of the newly formed Staatsballett Berlin and its Principal Dancer. He successfully built a repertory uniting the classical heritage and contemporary styles, commissioned many creations, and assembled an ensemble of dancers with outstanding potential, technique, and personality. From 2014 until 2016 Vladimir Malakhov has combined the duties of Artistic Advisor of Tokyo Ballet with performances and choreographic stagings around the globe.

Among his many prizes: 

Grand Prix at the International Ballet Competition in Varna (1986)

1st Prize at the Ballet Competition in Moscow (1989)

Premio di Positano (1998), Prix Benois de la Danse (2001)

Nijinsky Award (“Best Dancer in the World”, 2002)

In 2009 Vladimir Malakhovwas awarded The Austrian Decoration for Science and Art („Österreichisches Ehrenzeichen für Wissenschaft und Kunst“) and the title „Berliner Kammertänzer“ (2014).

Along with performing at the world’s major dance venues, Mr. Malakhov has staged and choreographed “La Bayadère” for Vienna State Opera Ballet in 1999 (2002 in Berlin), “Cinderella” (2004), “Sleeping Beauty” (2005), and “La Péri” (2010) for Staatsballett Berlin, “Swan Lake” for Liaoning Ballet Company of China, “Swan Lake” (2017) and “the nutcracker” (2019) for Zagreb National Theatre, ”Coppélia”(2018) for Kiev Ballet Academy, and“Swan Lake “(2018) for Kosice National Theatre.

In recent years, Mr. Malakhov is a highly sought ballet pedagogue. He is a visiting professor of dance at Senzoku University and at Kobe College in Kensai, Japan. Vladimir Malakhov’s expertise, knowledge, and opinion are in demand all over the world. He is a frequent jury member of many prestigious ballet competitions and a member of the Benois de la Danse Prix evaluation committee for young artists.