Marius Petipa in 1898. Petipa was most probably the most influential ballet choreographer there has ever been. He was the Premier Maitre maître De ballet of The. St Petersburg Imperial theatres from 1871 to. 1903he created a huge number of ballets among which Were Swan, Lake The nutcracker And Sleeping. beautye was the Premier Maitre maître De ballet of The. St Petersburg Imperial theatres from 1871 to. 1903 he created a huge number of ballets among which Were Swan, Lake The nutcracker And Sleeping. Beauty even in the one hundredth anniversary of his. Death Marius petipa still remains a partially unknown. figure