The famous writer, classic of French literature Henri Troyat opens up to readers a panorama of the “royal” period of Russian ballet during the reign of Alexander III. Magnificent gala performances, behind-the-scenes intrigues, stories from the life of the most famous dancers of the late 19th - early 20th centuries: the patriarch of Russian ballet Marius Petipa, the rebellious and sparkling Diaghilev, the sandal queen Isadora Duncan - all this through the eyes of a young ballerina, a student of the Imperial Ballet School in St. Petersburg.