was born in Russia.Graduated from Vaganova Ballet school (now Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet) under the guidance of famous N.Dudinskaia,K.Sergeiev,G.Seliutsky.Later he also studied under N.Dolgushin at Rimsky Korsakov Conservatory and graduated as a choreographer and teacher.He began his career when he signed in in the Small Theatre( now Mikhailovsky theatre),where he danced solo roles in Vain Prudence,Nutcracker,Copellia.In 1981 he accepted an offer from the well -known Estonian choreographer Ullo Vilimaa to become the first soloist in the Theatre Vanemuine in Estonia.It was here that he began to create one -act and feature ballets : Satanella (C.Pugni),The Prince of Pagodas(B.Britten),Peter and Wolf(S.Prokofiev),Birth of Dance(Space),Trap(W.Wieckman).He conceived for Estonian television Stranger in the Night (F.Sinatra),Vasily Medvedev Dancing, The Life(P.Viacha),for the French channel "La 5" Summer Bolero(M.Ravel ) - together with soloists from the Kirov Ballet (now Mariinsky.)
As a dancer he performed the roles of Albert in Giselle,Fabio in Satanella,the Prince in Nutcracker,Franz in Copellia,James in La Sylphide,Prince Salamander in Prince of Pagodas.As an appreciation of his personal endowment and of his development of the art of ballet in Estonia Vasily Medvedev received a number of State awards,for instance the Prize of Ministry of Culture,the Prize of Union of Theatre Artists and also the title Honored Artist.In the Great Estonian Encyclopedia a special page is devoted to Medvedev.
Since 1989 Vasily collaborated as a dancer and choreographer with various theatres and companies in Russia and abroad.Above all he has been involved in staging's in the Mariinsky Theatre,Mikhailovsky Theatre,Russian Ballet,Academic Ballet Theatre ,Chamber Ballet (all St.Petersburg),the State Theatre in Moscow,Moscow Chamber Ballet as well as in the New Classical Ballet,Baletto Cagliari,National Theatre in Prague, Prague Chamber Ballet,Moravian Theatre in Olomouc and the Municipal Theatre in Ústí nad Labem(Czech republic).
As a dancer he received invitations to prestigious International Gala concerts and Festivals such as " "World Ballet Festival"( Donetsk ,Ukraine 1998)," World Stars Gala" (Minsk ,Belarus 1994),"Stars of St.Petersburg Ballet" ( USA, 2000,2001),"Notte di Stelle" ( Cagliari,Italy 1997,98) "Gala International" ( Estonia,Lithuania 1998), " Y.Makhalina and Stars of St.Petersburg Ballet" (Argentina,Costa Rica 2001), "Stars of St.Petersburg Ballet" (USA,2002).In many of these events Medvedev was also Artistic director of the company. In 2005 Vasily organized international Gala of Ballet Stars in Mikhailovsky theatre as a part of International theatre festival "Art Square" directed by famous maestro Yuri Temirkanov.
Of the recent larger choreographic projects it is worth mentioning the ballet Onegin presented in National Theatre in Prague in 1999.Mr.Medvedev was awarded by US Pushkin Legacy with Pushkin Legacy Ballet Award for the choreography of Onegin and also the main soloists Tereza Podarilova and Stanislav Feco were awarded by the same prize.Fragments from the ballet Onegin were successfully performed on many important ballet gala's around the world as Gala des etoiles in Montreal 2003, World Ballet Stars in Spoleto 2002 and Russian Ballet Stars in Japan, 2002, or World Stars in Donetsk 2001 , and were interpreted by famous dancers as Julia Makhalina(Kirov Ballet) , Daria Klimentova (English National Ballet) , Elvira Khabibulina (Mikhailovsky Theatre ) or Elena Glurdzhidze (English National Ballet) .
Other works: La Damme aux camelias and Salome in Mikhailovsky Theatre (St.Petersburg),La Damme aux camelias in Russian Ballet (St.Petersburg) and also in the Moravian Theatre in Olomouc (Czech rep.), Romeo and Juliet and La Fille mal gardeé in Municipal Theatre in Ústí nad Labem(Czech.rep.)
One of the latest large production's of Vasily is ballet Swan Lake with National Ballet of Bosnia and Herzegovina and principal dancers of the Mariinsky theatre and Stuttgart ballet - Sofia Gumerova and Mikhail Kaniskin,in Sarajevo,June 2006. The press called this production as a Victory of the classical ballet and as an biggest event in the cultural life of the city Sarajevo in the past several years.
Another production of his successful ballet "Onegin" has premiere in February 2005 in Moravian Theatre Olomouc,Czech republic and in Theatre Vanemuine, Tartu, Estonia in November 2007 . Medvedev's " La Fille mal gardee" has place in repertory of The National Theatre of Bosnia and Herzegovina from November 2004. In September 2004 Vasily together with the Pushkin Legacy shows his international project "Onegin" at Santa Fe Opera Theatre,with the Corps de Ballet of the National Theatre Brno,principals from The Royal Ballet London- V.Samodurov, Kirov Ballet - I.Kolb and Stuttgart Ballet - M.Eichwald, with the Santa Fe Orchestra conducted by A.Anikhanov.
Production of Vasily Medvedev Nutcracker with the Ballet of the National Theatre Brno(Czech.rep) in December 2001. Ballet Nutcracker received "Prize of the audience" in 2003 and 2004. The main soloists have received a several prestigious awards or nominations..Principal dancer of the company Michal Stipa( currently soloist of the National theatre in Prague) a for role of Prince Nutcracker was awarded by PHILIP MORRIS BALLET FLOWER AWARD.The youngest dancer in the company Michal Pimek received the same prize for YOUNG TALENT , and Primabalerina Jana Pribylova was nominated for the PRIZE of THALIA 2001 .
His ballet Cinderella on music of J.Strauss -son , was staged first time with The National Theatre in Sarajevo ,Bosnia and Herzegovina in March 2008 , than in March 2009 at the State Ballet in Izmir,Turkey and June 2011 in National Theatre of Ukraine in Kharkov .
In November 2008 ,Vasily has created the new production of the ballet Seven Beauties on music by Qara Qarayev at National Theatre of Azerbaijan in Baku. Ballet Seven Beauties received highest National award Zirvia and was succesfully performed at the Bolshoi theatre in February 2011.
In April 2009 was the premiere of ballet Coppelia with The National Theatre in Sarajevo ,Bosnia and Herzegovina
December 25th ,2009 was a Vasily's successful debut at the famous
Bolshoi theatre with the ballet La Esmeralda. This production he made togheter with the artistic dirtector of the Bolshoi Ballet.Yuri Burlaka.
In April 2011, premiere of La Esmeralda with Staatsballet Berlin at Deutsche Oper ,Germany.This production has been made again together with Yuri Burlaka .
Vasily has also collaborated with the ballet schools "Paluca " in Dresden,Strasbourg,Munich,Forli in Italy, with the Vaganova Academy of Russian ballet for which he has conceived several choreographic miniatures .
Vasily is an founder and artistic director of the International St.Petersburg Dance Open Ballet Festival and Dance Competition since 2003.
Vasily Medvedev become a Member of the International Dance Council CID -UNESCO from 2007.
In November 2007 Vasily Medvedev received an Certificate of Achievement from International Pushkin Charity Fund for their cultural related to the Ballet "Onegin" and to promoting the humanitarian ideals of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin .
Medvedev has appeared as a guest artist in many countries in Europe,USA,Canada,Japan,South Korea,Latin America and South Africa.
- choreographer
- professor of the choreography at Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet
- Member of the International Dance Council CID -UNESCO
- founder and artistic director of the International Ballet Festival "Dance Open"