Born in Tblisi, Georgia, Ananiashvili joined the Bolshoi Ballet after training at the Moscow Ballet School. She continues to dance with the Bolshoi, and has made appearances with the New York City Ballet, Boston Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, National Ballet of Portugal, Royal Danish Ballet, and the Royal Ballet.

She has been a principal dancer with ABT since 1993. In 2004 she became artistic director of the National Ballet of Georgia.

According to ABT, Ananiashvili plans to return to the company in early 2006.