Ballet began in Italy during the Renaissance in 1500 and was introduced to France when Catherine de Medici married King Henry II of France. Over the next 100 years, ballet terminology and vocabulary became codified in French. In the early 20th century, Serge Diaghilev brought together talented Russian dancers, composers, and designers to form the influential Ballet Russes company. The company toured Europe and America, helping popularize ballet. Key figures like George Balanchine and Adolph Bolm then helped establish ballet as a prominent art form in the United States.