Dame Ninette de Valois (6 June 18988 March 2001) was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer and director of
classical ballet. Most notably, she danced professionally with
Serge Diaghilev's
Ballets Russes, later establishing
The Royal Ballet, one of the foremost ballet companies of the 20th century and one of the leading ballet companies in the world today. She also established the
Birmingham Royal Ballet and
Royal Ballet School. She is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of ballet and as the "godmother" of English ballet.