As soon as Smirnova graduated, she was accepted into the ballet troupe at the Mariinsky Theater and began to receive small solo parts.
 
In 1907, she performed a pas de deux with Nijinsky in La fille mal gardée for which critics praised her technical execution but noted that her movement lacked melodic interpretation.
The following year, she participated in a tour throughout the Russian provinces.
In 1909, the year Sergei Diaghilev founded the Ballets Russes, she traveled to Paris, where she was listed among the company's principal dancers.
She participated in the premiers of Le Pavillon d'Armide and "Polovtsian Dances" from the opera Prince Igor at the Théâtre du Châtelet on 18 May 1909.
Smirnova's performance in both roles received praise in London newspapers, and the performances of "Polovtsian Dances" received enthusiastic standing ovations, which were credited with much of the fame Diaghilev's company received from the tour.
In 1910 she worked with the Bolshoi Theatre and participated in tours in London and New York, and though she starred in several productions, they were not particularly successful.

In 1911, Smirnova performed in an alternating role of Swanilde with Elsa Vill in Coppélia by Léo Delibes.
Critic Akim Volynsky called her performance heavy and complained that her "dances on point could be heard in the farthest corners of the Maryinky’s enormous hall".
He liked Vill's performance better, but overall was unsatisfied with both soloists in the role.
In her performance of "The Dance of the Frescoes" from The Little Humpbacked Horse, Volynsky praised Smirnova's power, stating that she "put her best foot forward", overall commenting that her emboîté was done "particularly well".
In 1912, her role as Kitri in Don Quixote received acclaim by both critics and the public, which noted that the angularity of her performance in other roles, which seemed flawed, worked well in the production.
Vera Krasovskaya noted that she was one of the best dancers who had performed the role.

Beginning in 1913, Smirnova made a series of silent films.
A closed screening of a Berlin film Die Primaballerina (The Prima Ballerina) was released in April, showing Smirnova completing many of her own stunts.
Several films followed, including Die Augen der Bajadere (The eyes of Bajadere, 1913), Anita Iverson (1913), Die Ehre der Japanerin (The Honor of the Japanese Woman, 1913), Das Geheimnis der schwarzen Maske (The Secret of the Black Mask, 1913), Die Kleine Geisha (The Little Geisha, 1913), Das Vermächtnis der Mutter (The Legacy of the Mother, 1914) and Zigeunerblut (Gypsy Blood, 1914).
In addition, to film, her leading roles in ballet included many which were choreographed by Marius Petipa, such as Aspicia in The Pharaoh's Daughter, the title role in Raymonda, Izora in Bluebeard, Niriti in The Talisman and the title role in Esmeralda, among others.
She was also the first to perform the role of Mercedes in the ballet The Andalusian by her husband when it premiered in 1915.

Smirnova was promoted to prima ballerina in 1916 and that same year was among a few dancers who performed at the Imperial Theater of Tokyo to great acclaim.
The tour, under the leadership of Smirnova's husband Boris G. Romanov, was first tour of Japan by a Russian ballet corps.
On the return trip, the troupe performed in Harbin, China and passed through Chita, Russia on their way back to Saint Petersburg.
During the Russian Civil War, many noted dancers left Russia, which from 1918 left Smirnova as the only prima ballerina still working at the Mariinsky Theater.
The theater name changed during the war to the State Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet (Russian: Gosudarstvennïy Akademicheskiy Teatr Operï i Baleta (GATOB)).
During the seasons from 1918 to 1920, her most acclaimed role was as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty.
In 1919, she danced in the premiere of Romance of the Rose by Alexander Chekrygin in the role of Rosa and then on 8 February 1920, performed her last role on the Russian stage.
As soon as Smirnova graduated, she was accepted into the ballet troupe at the Mariinsky Theater and began to receive small solo parts.  
In 1907, she performed a pas de deux with Nijinsky in La fille mal gardée for which critics praised her technical execution but noted that her movement lacked melodic interpretation. The following year, she participated in a tour throughout the Russian provinces. In 1909, the year Sergei Diaghilev founded the Ballets Russes, she traveled to Paris, where she was listed among the company's principal dancers. She participated in the premiers of Le Pavillon d'Armide and "Polovtsian Dances" from the opera Prince Igor at the Théâtre du Châtelet on 18 May 1909. Smirnova's performance in both roles received praise in London newspapers, and the performances of "Polovtsian Dances" received enthusiastic standing ovations, which were credited with much of the fame Diaghilev's company received from the tour. In 1910 she worked with the Bolshoi Theatre and participated in tours in London and New York, and though she starred in several productions, they were not particularly successful.
In 1911, Smirnova performed in an alternating role of Swanilde with Elsa Vill in Coppélia by Léo Delibes. Critic Akim Volynsky called her performance heavy and complained that her "dances on point could be heard in the farthest corners of the Maryinky’s enormous hall". He liked Vill's performance better, but overall was unsatisfied with both soloists in the role. In her performance of "The Dance of the Frescoes" from The Little Humpbacked Horse, Volynsky praised Smirnova's power, stating that she "put her best foot forward", overall commenting that her emboîté was done "particularly well". In 1912, her role as Kitri in Don Quixote received acclaim by both critics and the public, which noted that the angularity of her performance in other roles, which seemed flawed, worked well in the production. Vera Krasovskaya noted that she was one of the best dancers who had performed the role.
Beginning in 1913, Smirnova made a series of silent films. A closed screening of a Berlin film Die Primaballerina (The Prima Ballerina) was released in April, showing Smirnova completing many of her own stunts. Several films followed, including Die Augen der Bajadere (The eyes of Bajadere, 1913), Anita Iverson (1913), Die Ehre der Japanerin (The Honor of the Japanese Woman, 1913), Das Geheimnis der schwarzen Maske (The Secret of the Black Mask, 1913), Die Kleine Geisha (The Little Geisha, 1913), Das Vermächtnis der Mutter (The Legacy of the Mother, 1914) and Zigeunerblut (Gypsy Blood, 1914). In addition, to film, her leading roles in ballet included many which were choreographed by Marius Petipa, such as Aspicia in The Pharaoh's Daughter, the title role in Raymonda, Izora in Bluebeard, Niriti in The Talisman and the title role in Esmeralda, among others. She was also the first to perform the role of Mercedes in the ballet The Andalusian by her husband when it premiered in 1915.
Smirnova was promoted to prima ballerina in 1916 and that same year was among a few dancers who performed at the Imperial Theater of Tokyo to great acclaim. The tour, under the leadership of Smirnova's husband Boris G. Romanov, was first tour of Japan by a Russian ballet corps. On the return trip, the troupe performed in Harbin, China and passed through Chita, Russia on their way back to Saint Petersburg. During the Russian Civil War, many noted dancers left Russia, which from 1918 left Smirnova as the only prima ballerina still working at the Mariinsky Theater. The theater name changed during the war to the State Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet (Russian: Gosudarstvennïy Akademicheskiy Teatr Operï i Baleta (GATOB)). During the seasons from 1918 to 1920, her most acclaimed role was as Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. In 1919, she danced in the premiere of Romance of the Rose by Alexander Chekrygin in the role of Rosa and then on 8 February 1920, performed her last role on the Russian stage.
Elena Smirnova