Yury Smekalove graduated from the Vaganova Russian Ballet Academy (choreography workshop – Georgy Alexidze, performing arts – Konstantin Shatilov), in 2017 he got a master’s degree in choreography art. In 1998, he was invited to join the Eifman Ballet Theatre, where just in a few months he was promoted to the rank of a soloist. For 10 years of being with this theatre Smekalov performed all main parts, becoming one of the most famous Russian ballet dancers in the world. In 2008, he was invited by choreographer Georgy Kovtun to perform the title role in the ballet Spartacus (music by Aram Khachaturian) in the Mikhailovsky Theatre; that very year, Smekalov appeared as Spartacus in the choreographic version of Leonid Jacobson in the Jacobson Ballet Theatre. Since 2008 and to the present time, Yury Smekalov is the soloist of the Mariinsky Theatre.

Yury Smekalov is a rare scene type for today: « masculine dancer». He is reasonably actual for both classical and modern dance. The ballet experience he’s got from different companies and different genres has allowed to clearly declare himself in a new way — as a choreographer. His debut miniatures Parting (music by John Powell) and Requiem for Narcissus (music by Clint Mansell) won the International Competition for Ballet Artists and Choreographers in Moscow.

Smekalov workes as a choreographer not only at the theatre. He staged the program for the figure-skater Evgeni Plushenko, and for the figure-skater Artur Galchinsky. And at the moment Yury Smekalov cooperates with a coach Alexey Mishin, creating the programmes for the Russian National Figure Skating Championships. As a choreographer he participated in the Bolero project organized by the Channel One of the Russian television, he worked with New York City Ballet, created two and three-act ballets for The Mariinsky, Bolshoi and Voronezh Theatres. He created a ballet Infinita Frida about life and artistic journey of the famous artist Frida Calo with Elisa Carrillo Cabrera in the leading part.Yury Smekalov bases his performances not only on his own ideas, but he is also inspired with the individuality of the dancers. Therefore his ballets are not prejudice of his own individual, but are democratically-comfortable for bright and outstanding dancers from different countries: Russia, USA, Germany, Mexico and so on.

Honors

Prize-winner of the Highest St. Petersburg Theatre Prize Golden Sofit (in the nominee Best male actor).

Prize-winner of the International Competition for Choreographers and Ballet Masters under the patronage of the World Dance Council of UNESCO (first prize as a choreographer in the nominee Video Ballet).

Prize-winner of the International Competition for Ballet Artists and Choreographers in Moscow (in the nominee Choreographer).

Laureate of the Russian National Theatre Award Golden Mask (in the nominee Best male actor).

Awarded with the medal "In memory of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg" for significant contribution to the development of St. Petersburg in the field of art.