I've been asked to write a piece about Russian Ballet, and I don't know where to start! You're interested in dance, any ideas? Well, actually Russian Ballet isn't Russian at all. It was introduced by foreigners in the 17th century by the second Romanov ruler Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich. Ok, for what reason? He wanted to watch it during his wedding celebrations. Then, Peter the Great took a personal interest in dancing at his court by bringing in western dances and taking part in them himself. But was that really the formal beginning? I thought it began in a letter written in 1737 to the Empress Anne by the teacher of gymnastics at the Imperial Cadet School. The letter said: "I humbly ask Your Majesty that I shall be given twelve children – six males and six females – to create ballets and theatre dances". That's right, and in 1738 the first Russian Ballet School was set up. It was a small school, with just two rooms in the Old Winter Palace. Didn’t that school go on to become the St. Petersburg Ballet School? Very famous, I think.