Vladimir Shklyarov, one of ballet’s pioneering dancers, died after a fatal fall from a fifth-floor balcony in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The Mariinsky Theater, where the 39-year-old dancer was, confirmed the death on November 16.
“Tonight, the audience’s favorite, the first star of the Mariinsky Theater, the respected Russian artist Vladimir Shklyarov, tragically passed away. This is a huge loss not only for the theater staff but for all contemporary ballet artists,” the company wrote in a statement. Statement posted on Instagram on saturday.
“Our condolences to the artist’s family, loved ones, friends and all the many admirers of his work and talent.”
According to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, federal authorities are investigating the death, but a “preliminary cause” has been determined. Judgment of an accident.
The ballerina’s representatives told the media that he fell from the fifth floor of a building While taking painkillersaccording to the BBC. Theater spokeswoman Anna Kasatkina said the dancer was taking medication to treat her injury and was scheduled to undergo spinal surgery this week.
Shklyarov became a principal dancer at the Mariinsky Theater in 2011, performing in shows such as Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and sleeping beauty.
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American Ballet Theatre, where Shklyarov performed as a guest artist in 2014 and 2015, also paid tribute to the late singer.
“Today, we mourn the tragic loss of Vladimir Shklyarov, an extraordinary artist whose grace and passion… Inspiring audiences “All over the world,” the company’s Instagram account wrote on November 17.
Diana Vishneva, a principal dancer with the Mariinsky company, called Shklyarov’s death a “tragedy” for the ballet world.
“You were so loved by your fans. I was The favorite partner of many ballet dancers,” she wrote in a tribute on Instagram.
Irina Bartnovskaya, who runs a ballet-focused Telegram channel called “The Devil in Ballet Shoes,” was one of the first to announce the death — part of which was captured on CCTV — on Saturday morning.
“Volodya (Vladimir) was resting at home, taking painkillers and preparing for surgery,” she said.
“He went out to the balcony to breathe some air and smoke, lost his balance (it’s a very narrow balcony) and fell (from the fifth floor). It was a stupid, unbearable accident.
“He loved life, his family, his children, and his fans,” she wrote. According to Reuters.
Shklyarov was married to Maria Shirenkina, a fellow Mariinsky dancer. The couple had two children, a son and a daughter.
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