character dance

1. A dance that represents a particular character, especially in ballet.
2. A characteristic national dance such as the habañera or polka.

Dance which does not fall into the category of classic-academic dance. Character dance is a wide-ranging term which can refer either to the national dances so prevalent in 19th-century ballets, or to folk, ethnic, and rustic dances. It is also used to describe choreography which specifically illustrates a character's function or occupation (sailor, farmer, shoemaker) or choreography which is performed by older dancers or by dancers portraying older figures. The latter kind is usually heavily reliant on mime. National dances (like Polish, Hungarian, Spanish, Italian, and Russian) are found in many 19th-century ballets where they are frequently performed as entertainments at court gatherings, and as such they provide a lively and exotic contrast to classical dancing. Swan Lake and Raymonda contain fine examples of national dancing which serve no narrative purpose but provide an abundance of vivid celebration. Character dance associated with certain types of characters—such as jesters, buffoons, villains, magicians, and supernatural creatures—is rarely performed on pointe (a notable exception being the role of Bottom in Ashton's The Dream). In ballet, the demi-caractère dancer is often shorter in stature but possesses all the technical virtuosity of a leading artist. A famous example of the demi-caractère dancer is the Blue Bird in The Sleeping Beauty.

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