Born in Alagir (North Ossetia). In 1979 graduated from the Leningrad Academy of Choreography (now the Vaganova Ballet Academy). In 1979–95 was an artist with the ballet troupe at the Kirov Ballet (now Mariinsky Theatre).

In 1995–2008 was Ballet Artistic Director at the Mariinsky Theatre. During the years of his work, a true breakthrough in the repertoire policy took place. The play bill started to include works by renowned choreographers of the 20th century: George Balanchine, Hans van Manen, John Neumeier, Kenneth MacMillan, Harald Lander, Roland Petit, Pierre Lacotte, William Forsythe and David Dawson. At the same time, recreations of ballets by Marius Petipa were realised, based on the notes by N. Sergeyev in accordance with the system by V. Stepanov, which are held in Harvard library. As a result, the productions of The Sleeping Beauty, La Bayadere and Le réveil de Flore, realised by Sergei Vikharev, provoked a wave of interest from around the world in the original choreography of the 19th century. Attention was also paid to the choreographers of the new generation, amongst whom were Alexei Ratmansky, Alexei Miroshnichenko, Kirill Simonov and Noah Gelber. All of them were provided with the opportunity to realise their ideas on the glorious ballet stage. As a manager, Vaziev actively promoted forming of bright personalities in the ballet troupe of the Mariinsky Theatre. It was then, the constellation of outstanding performers appeared: Diana Vishneva, Svetlana Zakharova and Uliana Lopatkina, Mikhail Lobukhin and Leonid Sarafanov, Evgenia Obraztsova and Alina Somova, Daria Pavlenko and Viktoria Tereshkina, Andrian Fadeyev and Igor Kolb, Vladimir Shklyarov and many more.