Anna Pavlova was the most famous classical ballerina of her era. Born in Saint Petersburg, she was trained at the school of the Imperial Ballet. In 1899, she made her debut as soloist, and became prima ballerina of the company in 1906. Pavlova toured Europe in 1907, appeared briefly with the Ballets Russes of the Russian impresario Sergey Diaghilev, and, in 1910 made her American debut with the Russian dancer Mikhail Mordkin at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. It was during this time that she first performed the Dying Swan, a solo choreographed for her by Michel Fokine in 1907. It became her signature piece for the rest of her life. She founded her own company in 1911 and retired in 1925.

Conservative in her aesthetics, Pavlova was an outstanding representative of classical Russian ballet, admired for the poetic quality of her movement. She was also interested in ethnic dances and in the dance techniques of India and Japan. Her most famous classical roles were in Giselle, Swan Lake, Les Sylphides, Don Quixote, Coppélia, and in the solo dance The Dying Swan.

She contracted pneumonia in 1931, and on her death bed made the request: "Get my swan costume ready." Then "Play that last measure softly." The next night the company performed as usual, and when it came time for "The Dying Swan," the curtain opened on an empty stage. During her lifetime Pavlova inspired thousands of young dancers and had probably done more to bring ballet to the world than any other single dancer before or since.