The Moscow Classical Ballet came into existence as the Young Ballet, the USSR State Choreographic Company, in 1966. It was established by the USSR Ministry of Culture as a ballet troupe whose role was to tour the Soviet Union and foreign countries performing Russian classical ballet in its traditional form.

The company, under the artistic direction of Igor Moiseyev, gave its first performance in 1968. Its repertoire consisted of excerpts from classical ballets and choreographic miniatures produced by such choreographers as Vinogradov, Goleizovsky, Messerer and Moiseyev himself.