Danse des petits cygnes

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Danse des petits cygnes is a famous dance from the ballet Swan Lake. The name was originally attached to a piece of music, scored by Tchaikovsky, from the ballet’s second or fourth act, but has become synonymous with the choreography by Lev Ivanov. The name, translated from French, means "Dance of the Cygnets" (or more literally "Dance of the Little Swans").

Ivanov's choreography was meant to imitate the way cygnets huddle and move together for protection. Four dancers enter the stage in a line and move across with their arms crossed in front of one another, grasping the next dancer's hand. They move sideways, doing sixteen pas de chat. Ideally the dancers move in exact or near-exact unison. At the very end, they break their chain and try to "fly", only to drop to the ground.

According to ballet writer Jean Battey Lewis in a 1997 NPR commentary, the Little Swans are usually portrayed by unknown, up-and-coming dancers. Ironically, due to the conformity required of the quartet, being cast as a Little Swan is often seen as a chance to be singled out -- noticed and given more important roles.