Covent Garden is home to the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet, under the patronage of the Prince of Wales and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

To find the Russian roots of English ballet, one does not have to look far. Ninette de Valois, who founded the first professional choreographic school and the Royal Ballet company in London, was a soloist in Diaghilev's "Russian Seasons" for several years.

Ninette de Valois collaborated with Bronislava Nijinska and Leonid Myasin, participated in ballets by Mikhail Fokine and classical productions revived outside of Russia by former Mariinsky Theatre director Nikolai Sergeyev. She later acknowledged that her organizational and managerial skills were owed to Diaghilev. For her services to the United Kingdom, she was honored by the Queen with the title of Dame, equivalent to the male Sir.

Many critics believe that if the "Russian Seasons" had not made a splash in England in 1911, English ballet might not have emerged. At that time, only France and Russia were known for their good schools and traditions. In the USA and the UK, interest in choreography ignited after the performances of the "Russian Seasons," especially thanks to Anna Pavlova.

In 1931, Ninette de Valois created the Sadler’s Wells company from graduates of the ballet school at the Old Vic Theatre in London. After the war, the company was offered to move to the Covent Garden building, and in 1956 it was granted the status of the Royal Ballet of England under the patronage of Elizabeth II. Ninette de Valois received numerous awards. She choreographed about 50 ballets that became classics of the national repertoire and dedicated her life to the company and writing autobiographical books.

In the early 20th century, English dancers took Russian pseudonyms to start their careers. Many of them owe their success to Russian émigré teachers. The "Russian Ballet of Monte Carlo," the dance theater of Alexander and Clotilde Sakharev, as well as companies led by Tamara Karsavina, Vera Karalli, and Mikhail Fokine frequently toured London. Ninette de Valois sent her soloists for internships at Matilda Kshesinskaya's studio in Passy.