What does “Variation” mean in ballet?
A dance typically done solo.
New to ballet? Read our ballet guide — history, the five positions, class structure and how adults can start.
Definition adapted from Glossary of ballet on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearby terms
Tours en l'air
( ; literally 'turn in the air.') A jump, typically done by males, with a full rotation in…
Triple Runs
One big step, followed by two little steps, that can be done in a circle.…
Turnout
Rotation of the legs at the hips, resulting in knees and feet facing away from each other.…
Tutu
A classic ballet skirt, typically flat at the waist or hip level, made of several layers o…
Virtuoso
A dancer with great technical ability and skill.…
Waltz
A sequence of steps performed in sync with waltz music , as in pas de waltz en tournant .…
À la quatrième
One of the directions of body, facing the audience ( en face ), arms in second position, w…
À la seconde
(Literally "to second") If a step is done "à la seconde", it is done to the side. 'Second …