Classical ballet training has been criticized for prioritizing technical excellence over creativity, despite 21st century dancers needing to be strong in both aspects. The aim of this study was to investigate professional choreographers’ views on (a) how ballet training inspired vs. inhibited their creativity and (b) potential gender differences in this regard. Eight choreographers (50% female) participated in semi-structured interviews, with transcripts analysed using thematic analysis. The key theme was created from accounts of how ballet training impacted on interviewees’ Intrinsic motivation to create, fed into by experiences of Autonomy, Variety and Opportunities. Experiences of significant autonomy thwarting were considered to have inhibited creativity; this was also one of several areas of gender difference, and a reason for participants to pursue choreography rather than stay employed as dancers. In following the emergent Recommendations for schools, it is possible that Intrinsic motivation to create could be better nurtured in ballet training.