Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet
Yachmennikov started dancing at age 6, with Russian folk dances in the choreographic ensemble "Mozaika" in Saint-Petersburg. In 1993, at age 10, he passed a 3-tour exam for the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. He was known as a hardworking student. His main teachers at the Academy were L. Melnikova, P. Silkin, and A. Garbuz.