The word Ballet comes from the Italian word Ballare (in Latin means to dance), through the Italian "balletto" and is generally thought to be the creation of Baitazarini di Beigioioso of Tortona (Bergonzio di Botta) and in ancient Greek, The word "ballizo" meant "to dance alone". Henrick Isaak (1450-1517), a Dutch composer while working in Italy composed some "Carnival Songs" as well as the creating of the "Ballo" (a dance) accompanied by his own Ballo music, the dancers also being the singers. The English word Ballad comes from this source which literally means "a song for dancing."

The first appearance of women in the Ballet came when dance master Jean Baptist Lully (1632-1687) presented "Le Triomphe de l'Amour" in 1668 that included for the first time four female dancers. Before this, boys in wigs and or masks performed all female parts. Maximilien Gardel (1741-1787) would later discard the masks used in the Ballet in 1772. He did this while dancing on stage to let the audience know it was he, not Gaetan Vestris dancing (Vestris did it earlier in Medea & Jason- 1770). The early ballet consisted of social dances of the day such as the Gavotte, Pavane, Allemande etc. Marie Carmago (1710-1770) is credited with trying to enlarge the variety of steps and dances. Georges Noverre (1727-1509) would make many changes in the ballet, which are still used today. There were many others who helped this dance grow, but space is limited.

When ballet declined in Western Europe (France and Italy), Russia then became the main field for the ballet dancer. Hollywood would later capture an essence of the ballet and Agnes de Mille would lead the way. Many dancers would help spread the love of Ballet. Dancers like Pavlova, Mordkin, Taglioni, Camargo, Essler, Baryshnkov, Ted Shawn, Fonteyn, Toumanova etc.