Born in Berlin to ballet dancer parents, Elisabeth Tonev trained at the Staatliche Ballettschule Berlin from the age of ten and began performing with the Staatsballett Berlin at 16. In 2019, she joined the Junior Company of the Dutch National Ballet and was promoted annually, reaching the rank of soloist in 2023.

Following debuts in major classical productions and international galas, she was awarded the Konstanze Vernon Prize in 2024. This recognition led to an invitation to join the Bayerisches Staatsballett as a principal dancer for the 2025/26 season, where she performed several leading roles, including the title role in Giselle, Tatjana in Onegin, Marguerite in Lady of the Camellias, as well as Béjart’s Boléro.