character dance

Character dance is a mimetic dance, often seen in ballet, that represents a specific character or nationality. It involves borrowing movements and styles from folk dances to create divertissements within story ballets. Dancers are trained in these "character dances" as part of classical ballet curricula, using stereotyped gestures to portray different nationalities, occupations, or personages. For example, a Polish mazurka performed by a ballet dancer is considered a character dance, distinct from an authentic folk dance. These dances are selected for their ability to evoke national pride and sentiment.12