Russian ballet dancer Vladimir Shklyarov dies in fall from balcony at age 39

The ballet satellite is mourning renowned Russian ballet dancer and onetime Ukraine warfare professional Vladimir Shklyarov aft helium fell 60 feet to his decease from the fifth-story balcony of a St. Petersburg building.

Shklyarov was 39.

Russian authorities immediately ruled his decease an accident, though an probe was nether mode to corroborate that, the Russian quality bureau RIA Novosti reported.

He was owed to acquisition “complex spinal surgery” for a backmost wounded connected Monday and was taking “serious painkillers,” the caput of the Mariinsky Theatre’s property work told Russian quality bureau Fontanka.

The theatre issued a connection Saturday confirming the dancer’s decease that day.

“This is simply a immense nonaccomplishment not lone for the theatre’s staff, but for each of today’s ballet art,” the Mariinsky Theatre said successful a statement. “Our condolences to the artist’s family, loved ones, friends and each the galore admirers of his enactment and talent.”

Ballet dancer Vladimir Shklyarov from the Mariinsky Ballet performs during a formal rehearsal of ‘Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux’ astatine the Saddlers Wells theatre successful London, connected October 15, 2008. (CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)

He had 2 children with woman and chap dancer Maria Shirinkina, whom helium married successful 2013.

Shklyarov performed worldwide, including with the Metropolitan Opera successful New York City, the Royal Opera House successful London and The Kennedy Center successful Washington, D.C. In addition, the creator danced with the American Ballet Theatre successful 2014 and 2015, the institution said successful an Instagram tribute.

ABT sent condolences to “all who were touched by his brilliance,” concluding, “Rest successful peace, Vladimir. Your airy volition proceed to radiance done the quality you brought to this world.”

Shklyarov had started astatine Mariinsky successful 2003, close retired of the Academy of Russian Ballet, and roseate to go 1 of its main dancers successful 2011, the theatre said successful a bio. He received a slew of accolades, capped by being crowned an Honored Artist of Russia successful 2020, Mariinsky said, calling him “an expressive, perfectly inimitable histrion and a virtuoso, academically impeccable dancer who tin maestro each styles.”

In March 2022 the dancer spoke retired against Russia’s penetration of Ukraine successful an Instagram station that was aboriginal deleted, The Guardian reported. “It is intolerable to ticker everything that is happening contiguous without tears,” Shklyarov wrote. After deleting the post, helium did not remark connected the warfare again, The Guardian said.

Fellow dancer Irina Baranovskaya called Shklyarov’s decease “a stupid, unbearable accident” connected the societal media level Telegram, saying that helium had gone onto the went onto the “very constrictive balcony” for a fume and “lost his balance.”