Vladimir Shklyarov, a world-renowned Russian ballet star, has died after falling from the fifth floor of a building on Saturday. Mariinsky representatives told media he had fallen from the fifth floor of a St Petersburg building while on painkillers. The company said on Saturday that "this is a huge loss not only for the theatre's staff but for all of contemporary ballet, Our condolences to the artist’s family, loved ones, friends and all the numerous admirers of his work and talent."

Born in Leningrad, he studied at the famed Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, graduating in 2003. He joined the Mariinsky Theatre the same year, becoming a principal in 2011. Over 20 years with the company, he danced leads across several productions, including Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, and Romeo and Juliet.

He performed at prestigious venues worldwide, including the Royal Opera House in London and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. In 2014 and 2015, he featured as a guest artist at the American Ballet Theatre. The company stated on Sunday mourning his "tragic loss." We mourn the tragic loss of Vladimir Shklyarov, an extraordinary artist whose grace and passion inspired audiences worldwide. "Your light will continue to shine through the beauty you brought to this world," the company wrote on Instagram.

He received numerous accolades during his career, including the Léonide Massine International Prize in 2008, and in 2020 he was appointed an Honored Artist of Russia. In the days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Shklyarov was quoted as speaking out in support of peace.

Shklyarov was married to Maria Shirinkina, a fellow dancer at the Mariinsky. The couple had two children, a son and a daughter. The ballet world mourns the loss of this extraordinary talent. Shklyarov's legacy will continue to inspire future generations of dancers.