WATCH: VIDEO OF SKY ARTS AT BALLETS RUSSES >>

This year English National Ballet celebrates the centenary of the Ballets Russes with performances of some of the troupe’s great works. We talk to archivists, choreographers and dancers about the Ballet Russes, what it was, the artistes involved and the influence the work has had over the years.

Performing under the directorship of Sergei Diaghilev between 1909 and 1929. Many of the Ballet Russes dancers originated from the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg. Younger dancers were trained in Paris, within the community of exiles after the Russian Revolution of 1917. The company featured and premiered now-famous works by the great choreographers Marius Petipa, Michel Fokine, Bronislava Nijinska, Leonide Massine, Vaslav Nijinsky, and a young George Balanchine at the start of his career.

The Ballets Russes was one of the most influential theatre companies of the twentieth century, in part because of its ground-breaking artistic collaboration among contemporary choreographers, composers, artists, and dancers.

Sky Arts spent time with English National Ballet ahead of their performances of The Ballets Russes between the 16th and 20th of June. During this period they’ll be performing a programme of works at Saddlers Wells in tribute to the revolutionary Ballet Russes Company. Watch our film to see the fabulous senior principal Elena Glurdjidze performing for our cameras in the tutu designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.

To find out more: ballet.org.uk/ballets-russes/