Mr. Kolesnikov is born in St.Peterburg, Russia, he trained at the Vaganov Ballet Academy. He danced with Kirov Ballet(now – the Maryinsky Theatre), the company that gave the world numerous ballet celebrities like George Balanchine, Rudolf Nuriev, Natalia Makarova and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Working for the Kirov Ballet for over twenty years, Vladimir raised from a cord-de-ballet dancer to a Principle. He toured extensively with the company throughout the world. In 1970, he became the Laureate of the International Youth Festival in Berlin, Germany. His wide-range dance repertoire on stage had been extended by his teaching career.

After graduating with the Master Degree in Ballet Pedagogy from the Vaganova Ballet Academy, he began to teach at the Academy in 1986, continuing to perform with the Kirov Ballet. He was invited to contribute as a guest instructor to the ballet school in the Netherlands and France. In 1992, he was invited to work for the Universal Ballet Academy in Washington, DC . His other teaching credentials include working as a coach and soloist with the Boston Ballet Company, and as an assistant choreographer to Kevin McKenzie for the Raymond Ballet at ABT, New York, NY.

Vladimir`s standing experience includes mounting repertoire from the Kirov Ballet: The Steeping Beauty, Don Quixote, La Bayadera and The Swan Lake. Vladimir`s artistic contribution to the Russian Ballet had been recognized by the Russian State Order.