Zakharova
Born in Lutsk (Ukraine). From 1989 studied at Kiev Choreographic School (class of Valeria Sulegina), then at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. In 1996, graduated from the Academy and joined the Mariinsky Theatre Ballet Company. Rehearsed under the supervision of Olga Moiseeva. Has been the principal dancer of the Bolshoi ballet troupe since 2003. Worked with Ludmila Semenyaka and currently mentored by Nina Semizorova.
The State Prize of Russia
The 2nd Prize of the International Competition "Vaganova-PRIX" (St Petersburg)
The highest theatre prize of St Petersburg "The Golden Stagelight"
St Petersburg award in the field of culture "The People of Our City"
The title of etoile by "DANZA & DANZA" Magazine
The Benois de la Danse International Dance Association prize
The title of Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation
The Ballet Magazine "Soul of Dance" Prize in "The Queen of Dance" nomination
The title of People’s Artist of the Russian Federation
La Scala Ballet Company etoile
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France)
The Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (4th class)
The International Stanislavsky Prize
“Benois”— Moscow “Massine”— Positano Prize
2003
Giselle (Giselle by A. Adam, choreography by J. Coralli, J. Perrot, M. Petipa, version by Y. Grigorovich)
Aspicia (La Fille du Pharaon by C. Pugni, choreography by P. Lacotte after M.Petipa)
Odette/ Odile (Swan Lake by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by M. Petipa, L.Ivanov, A. Gorsky, second version by Y. Grigorovich)
2004
Princess Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty, choreography by M. Petipa, version by Y. Grigorovich)
Leading soloist (Symphony in C to music by G. Bizet, choreography by G.Balanchine, part II)
Nikia (La Bayadere by L. Minkus, choreography by M. Petipa, version by Y.Grigorovich)
Kitri (Don Quixote by L. Minkus, choreography by M. Petipa, A. Gorsky, version by А. Fadeyechev)
Hyppolita/ Titania (A Midnight’s Summer Dream to music by F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, G. Ligeti, choreography by J. Neumeier) — creation at the Bolshoi Theatre
2005
Raymonda (Raymonda by A. Glazunov, choreography by M. Petipa, version by Y. Grigorovich)
Carmen (Carmen Suite to music by G. Bizet—R. Shchedrin, choreography by A. Alonso)
2006
Cinderella (Cinderella by S. Prokofiev, choreography by Y. Possokhov, director Y. Borisov) — creation
2007
Soloist (Serenade to music by P. Tchaikovsky, choreography by G. Balanchine) — participated in the premiere at the Bolshoi Theatre
Medora (Le Corsaire by A. Adam, choreography by M. Petipa, version by A.Ratmansky, Y. Burlaka) — creation
Soloist (Class Concert to music by A. Glazunov, A. Lyadov, A. Rubinstein, D.Shostakovich, choreography by A. Messerer)
2008
Aegina (Spartacus by A. Khachaturian, choreography by Y. Grigorovich)
Soloist/ Couple in Yellow (Russian Seasons to music by L. Desyatnikov, choreography by A. Ratmansky) — participated in the premiere at the Bolshoi Theatre
Paquite (Paquite Grand pas by L. Minkus, choreography by M. Petipa, version by Y. Burlaka)
2009
Svetlana (Zakharova Super Game by E. Palmieri, choreography by F.Ventriglia) — creation
2010
Death (Le Jeune Homme et la Mort to music by J.S. Bach, choreography by R.Petit) — creation at the Bolshoi Theatre
2013
Soloist (The Leading Couple)/ "Diamonds" (Jewels, Part III to music by P.Tchaikovsky, choreography by G. Balanchine)
2014
Marguerite Gautier (Lady of the Camellias to music by F. Chopin, choreography by J. Neumeier) — creation at the Bolshoi Theatre
Mekhmene Banu (A Legend of Love by A. Melikov, choreography by Y.Grigorovich)
2015
Mary (A Hero of Our Time by I. Demutsky, choreography by Y. Possokhov, director K. Serebrennikov, “Princess Mary” part) — creation (the world premiere)
2017
Anastasia (Ivan the Terrible to music by S. Prokofiev, choreography by Y.Grigorovich)
The Diva/ “A Letter to Rudi” (Nureyev by I. Demutsky, choreography by Y.Possokhov, director K. Serebrennikov) — creation (the world premiere)
2018
Anna Karenina (Anna Karenina to music by P. Tchaikovsky, A. Shnitke, Cat Stevens/ Yusuf Islam, choreography by J. Neumeier) — creation at the Bolshoi Theatre
2020
Leading soloist (Silentium to music by A. Pärt, choreography by M. Chaix, programme “Four Characters in Search for a Plot” — participated in the world premiere of the ballet
2021
Arkadina (The Seagull by I. Demutsky, choreography by Y. Possokhov, director A. Molochnikov) — creation (the world premiere)
2024
Juliet (Romeo and Juliet by S. Prokofiev, choreography by L. Lavrovsky, staging by M. Lavrovsky)
1996
Princess Florine (The Sleeping Beauty by P.Tchaikovsky, choreography by M.Petipa, edition by K.Sergeyev)
Queen of the Dryads (Don Quixote by L.Minkus, choreography by M.Petipa, A.Gorsky)
Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux (choreography by G.Balanchine)
The Swan (to music by C.Saint-Saëns, choreography by M.Fokine)
Maria (The Fountain of Bakhchisarai by B.Astafiev, choreography by R.Zakharov)
Masha (The Nutcracker by P.Tchaikovsky, choreography by V.Vainonen)
1997
Gulnare (Le Corsaire by A.Adam, choreography by M.Petipa, revised version by P.Gusev)
Giselle (Giselle by A.Adam, choreography by J.Coralli, J.Perrot, M.Petipa)
7th Waltz and Mazur (Chopiniana, choreography by M.Fokine)
1998
Princess Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty)
Terpsichore (Apollo by I.Stravinsky, choreography by G.Balanchine)
Soloist (Serenade to music by P.Tchaikovsky, choreography by G.Balanchine)
Odette-Odile ( Swan Lake by P.Tchaikovsky, choreography by M.Petipa, L.Ivanov, revised version by K.Sergeyev)
Soloist (Poem of Ecstasy to music by A.Scriabin, choreography by A.Ratmansky)
1999
Soloist (Symphony in C to music by G.Bizet, Part I, choreography by G.Balanchine)
Princess Aurora (The Sleeping Beauty, choreography by M.Petipa, version by S.Vikharev)
Medora (La Corsaire)
Nikia (La Bayadere by L.Minkus , choreography by M.Petipa, edition by V.Ponomarev, V.Chabukiani)
2000
Soloist/ "Diamonds" (Jewels, Part III to music by P.Tchaikovsky, choreography by G.Balanchine)
Manon (Manon to music by J.Massenet, choreography by K.MacMillan)
Kitri (Don Quixote)
2001
Soloist (Now and Then to music to M.Ravel, choreography by J.Neumeier)
Young Lady (The Young Lady and The Hooligan to music by D.Shostakovich, choreography by K.Boyarsky)
Zobeide (Scheherazade to music by N.Rimsky-Korsakov, choreography by M.Fokine)
2002
Juliet (Romeo and Juliet by S.Prokofiev, choreography by L.Lavrovsky)
Paquita (Paquita Gran pas by L.Minkus, choreography by M.Petipa)
Soloist (Middle Duet to music by J.Khanin, choreography by A.Ratmansky)
2003
Leading part (Etudes to music by C.Czerny, choreography by H.Lander)
Performed in productions at the Mariinsky theatre, Mikhailovsky Theatre, the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Music Theatre, the Saratov Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Paris Opera, La Scala, the Rome Opera, the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, the Bavarian State Opera, the Hamburg Ballet, the Finnish National Ballet, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the English National Ballet, the Sofia National Ballet, the National Opera House of Ukraine named after T.Shevchenko, the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Abay Kazakh State Academic Opera, the Korean Universal Ballet Company, the Asami Maki Ballet, the New York City Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre (ABT), the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro, the Teatro Colòn (Buenos Aires).
In 2008 was the first Russian dancer to receive the title of La Scala Ballet etoile.
Participated in the largest festivals and gala-concerts. In 2014 participated at the Sochi Olympic Opening Ceremony.
Performed at the largest concert and theatre venues around the globe, such as the Royal Albert Hall and the London Coliseum, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the Espase Pierre Cardin Theatre (Paris), the concert hall “Megaron” (Athens), Teatro Regio di Parma, the New National Theatre in Tokyo, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, the Metropolitan Opera, the Lincoln Centre (New York), the Palace des Arts in Montreal and many more.
Took the lead in two projects: "Amore" (premiered in 2016) and "Modanse" (2019). The first programme, that was shown at the Bolshoi Theatre, St Petersburg, several cities in Italy and Greece, in Monte Carlo (Monaco), Perelada (Spain), London, Helsinki, Sofia, Prague, Beijing, Tokyo and many more, included one-act ballets Francesca Da Rimini to music by P. Tchaikovsky (choreography by Y. Possokhov), Strokes Through the Tail to music by W.A.Mozart (choreography by M. Donlon) and the dance piece Rain before it falls to music by J.S. Bach, O. Respigni and C. Quintana-Pina (choreography by P. de Bana). The second programme consisted of one-act ballets Like a Breath to music by G.F. Handel (choreography by M. Bigonzetti) and Gabrielle Chanel by I. Demutsky (choreography by Y. Possokhov). This programme was shown at the Bolshoi Theatre, London, Beijing, and St Petersburg.
Performs together with the world-famous violinist Vadim Repin in the framework of their collaborative project “Pas de Deux for Toes and Fingers” in Russia and abroad.
Heads a charitable foundation. Organised the children’s dance festival “Svetlana”.
Since 2012, has been a member of the Council for Arts and Culture under the President of Russia.