Resumen (inglés)
      The following doctoral thesis aims at examining the role of women in ballet throughout its history and at presenting the possible changes that may have happened in this role during the 20th century, focusing on the last decades of that century and the beginning of the new millennium.  
      In its first part, this research looks into reinstating in the historical discourse the different female figures that, in various geographical centres and especially during the 20th century, had an active role in the development of schools, companies and choreographic styles and that were acknowledged as creators and leaders in the sector during their time. Once this has been accomplished, the artistic legacies identified for each one of these women is evaluated within their own historical and artistic contexts and, when possible, assessed in today’s context.
      In its second part, and once it appears evident that there seems to have been a gradual disappearance of women from positions of power and creation, the research moves into finding the reasons behind this situation, as it appears to have affected women in ballet, and dance in general, during the last decades. 
      Thus, the main objectives for the research follow the formal division established in the two main parts that make up this thesis. The first aim is to assess female contributions in the development of ballet as an artistic language by examining the historical evidence against the claims articulated in some feminist academic discourses that seem to position women as mere recipients of patriarchal ideologies.  The second objective moves into the analysis of internal and external factors that affect dance and that may have had an effect in the sector, as they may be configuring the framework and context that dance inhabits, and therefore have helped in the development of new paradigms. 
      Mixed methodologies have been used for each one of these research questions, so that the inclusion of historical, feminist, gender and cultural studies could be possible. Once there appeared a discourse capable of presenting and evaluating the evidence arising from the different chapters, the thesis articulates some conclusions that seek to delineate a wider and more inclusive context that may help explain the background scenario that women in ballet and dance inhabit nowadays and that may elicit some of the possible causes that have led to the present situation.