Les Sylphides is one of the most romantic ballets, first staged by Mikhail Fokine over a century ago. In creating the ballet, Fokine drew inspiration from the imagery of Marie Taglioni and the ballet La Sylphide. It offered a 20th-century perspective on the Romantic era.

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The ballet has no storyline; instead, the dance flows with the mood of the music, immersing the audience in the poet's world, the inner world of the main character. Its premiere took place in 1908 at the Mariinsky Theatre, with solo performances by Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, and Olga Preobrazhenskaya, and Vaslav Nijinsky performing the male role.

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The ballet gained worldwide fame through the Diaghilev Seasons and was first shown in Paris in 1909 at the Théâtre du Châtelet. The costumes and sets were designed by Alexander Benois, and the poster featuring Anna Pavlova, created by Serov, became an iconic symbol of the Diaghilev Seasons.

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Throughout the 20th century, Chopiniana (another name for the ballet) was performed on stages around the world, and it remains one of the most beloved and popular ballets to this day.