The cradle of ballet, tracing the origin of ballet as a theatre art back to its foundation by Louis XIV in 1669.

The Paris Opera Ballet is the cradle of ballet, tracing the origin of ballet as a theatre art back to its foundation by Louis XIV in 1669. Over three centuries dance has retained its place as a potent element in its repertory in a long sequence of ballets and divertissements that have been presented on a succession of stages, culminating in the Palais Garnier and the Opéra Bastille. Ivor Guest, the world's leading authority on French ballet was commissioned by the Opéra to write the history of its ballet company in 1976: this and subsequent editions were published only in French. This revised and updated version is the first to appear in English.