His father, in cooperation with his mother, led a volunteer theater company, where he performed from his earliest childhood.
Vlastimil Harapes was a Czech dancer, choreographer, dance teacher, long-time member, soloist of the ballet of the National Theater in Prague, director, actor and artistic director of the International Conservatory Prague.
His first role was in the play East Wind , which he played at the age of five.
Harapes was the honorary president of the Balet Globa civic association.
In 1977, he signed the Anticharta (a signature campaign of prominent Czechoslovak mainly cultural figures, organized by the communist ruling power as a negative reaction to the declaration of Charter 77) .