Oleg Mikhailovich Vinogradov (Russian: Олег Михайлович Виноградов # nbsp;) was a Soviet dancer, choreographer and ballet director. # Nbsp; He graduated from the Vaganova Russian Ballet Academy with Alexander Ivanovich Pushkin and went on to become choreographer, working with some of the most important ballet companies in the Soviet Union, including the Kirov Ballet and the Bolshoi Ballet. In the early 1970s he was artistic director and principal choreographer of the Maly Theater Ballet, and became artistic director of the Kirov Ballet in 1977. During this period, relations between the Soviet Union and the United States grew warmer and the Kirov Ballet began numerous tours in the United States for the first time in decades. # Nbsp; Vinogradov became the first Soviet ballet master to invite Maurice Béjart and Roland Petit to stage operas for the Kirov, and also helped bring licensed productions of George Bal's ballets to Russia for the first time anchine. # nbsp; He was appointed popular artist of the USSR in 1983.
