From Swan Lake, Op. 20. Danse des petits cygnes. The name, translated from French, means "Dance of the Little Swans". 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. The Little Swans are usually portrayed by unknown, up-and-coming dancers. Ironically, in view of 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.
