His repertoire included Ivan the Terrible, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Giselle, Raymonda and Legend of Love.
His international tours with the Bolshoi earned him a huge fan-base [citation needed] and in 1988 he was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Prize for Best Dancer in the World.
In 1990, he defected from the Soviet Union to the United Kingdom, not for artistic or political purposes, but because his wife was pregnant and they wanted a better life for his child.
The family were mentored by Tamara Tchinarova and he joined The Royal Ballet in London, where he soon became a favourite of resident choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, who helped him to develop his dramatic range.
MacMillan created Winter Dreams (based on Chekhov's The Three Sisters) for him and Darcey Bussell which was subsequently filmed for television and transmitted on the BBC at Christmas 1992.
At The Royal Ballet he danced the traditional classics such as The Nutcracker, Raymonda Act III, La Bayadère, Swan Lake and Giselle, and he also gave unforgettable performances in more contemporary works.
He was also awarded the Prix Benois de la Danse in Paris in 1996, and in 1998 he received the Nijinsky Medal and was invited to become President of the Legat Society.