Mikhail Kaniskin was born in Moscow, Russia in 1978. He began his first ballet education in the School of the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow. He proceeded with his education at the Jonh Cranko School in Stuttgart, Germany. While still in school, Kaniskin was asked to join Stuttgart Ballett in John Cranko´s The Taming of the Shrew. As a member of the school he performed in school galas such programs as Power Spot by Renato Zanella and La Bayadere pas de deux.

In 1996, Kaniskin performed at the Prix de Lausanne Ballet Competition in which he reached the semi finals and received very favourable reviews. Shortly, after graduating from the John Cranko Ballet School he was offered a contract with the Stuttgart Ballet in 1997.

Kaniskin was promoted to demi-soloist in 2001.  In the following year, 2002, he became a soloist and in the beginning of the 2004 season he was appointed to principal dancer. Then in the year 2007, he joined the Staatsballett Berlin as a principal dancer. Kaniskin has performed various countries like New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, Toronto, China, Japan, Italy, Korea and Taipei.

For more info on Kaniskin:
Staatsballett Berlin

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