Character dance Character dance Character dance is a specific subdivision of classical dance. It is the stylized representation of a traditional folk or national dance, mostly from European countries, and uses movements and music which have been adapted for the theater. Character dance is integral to much of the classical ballet repertoire. A good example of character dance within ballet is the series of national dances which take place at the beginning of Act III of Swan Lake. The ballet Don Quixote as well as La sylphide also features many character variations based on traditional Spanish dances. Popular character dance adaptations for
Mariinsky Ballet both companies are run by the theatre itself. Despite later name changes and pressures of the Russian revolution, the present day "Mariinsky Ballet" is still linked to the school, which is now known as the "Vaganova Ballet Academy". The Mariinsky Ballet is today recognised as one of the world's greatest ballet companies, employing over 200 dancers, including a reserve troupe and character artists. The Director of the Mariinsky Ballet is Yuri Fateyev. Being modelled on other leading opera/ballet theatres such as the Royal Opera House, London and La Scala, Milan, the Mariinsky Ballet and Mariinsky Opera both come under the