She was born in Saint Petersburg and studied at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet.

Upon graduation, she joined the Mariinsky Theatre; she has toured with them in Great Britain, Germany and China.

Novikova won a prize at the International Vaganova-Prix Ballet Dancers' Competition in 2002.

[1] Novikova created the female lead role in Du Côté de chez “Swann” by Alexei Miroshnichenko.

[3] In 2011, at Teatro alla Scala she appeared in the lead role in the premiere performance of the ballet Raymonda (production by Sergei Vikharev)