1929 – Death of Serge Diaghilev

The death of Serge Diaghilev in Venice on 19 August, and the closure of his Ballets Russes company changed the profile of dance across Europe. It prompted a diaspora of ballet dancers and choreographers, as well as the establishment of numerous companies to fill the void. Nearly all the major figures of the early years of British ballet had some connection to the Ballets Russes, from Ninette de Valois and Marie Rambert to Alicia Markova, Lydia Lopokova and Anton Dolin