What's the Difference Between a Ballet Variation and a Divertissement?

Geeky Ballerina
Jan 22
3 min read

If you've ever heard someone call the same solo a "variation" in one conversation and a "divertissement" in another, you're not alone. These terms get used interchangeably all the time—and honestly, no one's going to think less of you for calling it the "Sugar Plum variation."

But there is a difference, and understanding it can deepen how you watch, teach, or perform classical ballet.

The Short Answer

A variation is a solo dance that advances the story or reveals something about the character.

A divertissement is a dance—solo or group—that entertains without moving the plot forward. The word literally means "diversion" in French. It's a break from the narrative, a chance to showcase dancing for dancing's sake.

Why It Gets Confusing

The tricky part is that knowing the difference often requires deep understanding of the plot and context.

Take Swan Lake Act III. The national dances (Spanish, Hungarian, Neapolitan, etc.) might look like pure entertainment, but they're actually furthering the story—each country is presenting a princess to Siegfried and his mother as part of the courting process. That's narrative. Those are variations.

Meanwhile, the cygnets in Act II? Four dancers in perfect synchronization, utterly delightful—but they don't tell us anything new about Odette, Siegfried, or the curse. That's a divertissement.

More Examples

Ballets with both:

La Bayadère is a great example. In Act I, Nikiya's dances tell her story—her love for Solor, her despair, her death. Those are variations. But the famous Kingdom of the Shades? The three "shade variations" were historically called "beer garden dances"—entertainment for the audience while the corps catches their breath. Beautiful, iconic, technically demanding—and divertissements.

Ballets that are mostly divertissements:

The Nutcracker Act II is almost entirely divertissements. Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, Marzipan, Mother Ginger, Waltz of the Flowers, Sugar Plum and her Cavalier—none of them advance a plot. Clara watches. We watch. Everyone has a lovely time. (This is part of why Nutcracker works so well for audiences new to ballet—there's no story to follow, just beautiful dancing to enjoy.)

Paquita, as it's usually performed today, is all divertissements. The original ballet had a plot involving a kidnapped noblewoman, but most companies just perform Grand Pas, the divertissements, and sometimes some corps de ballet work—pure showcase.

Ballets with no divertissements:

Giselle is wall-to-wall story. Every dance either advances the plot or reveals character. Even the peasant pas de deux in Act I establishes the village community that Giselle is woven into---making Albrecht's betrayal all the more powerful. There's no "break" from the narrative.

Why Does This Matter?

It doesn't, really—not for casual conversation. Call it whatever your company or school calls it.

But if you're teaching repertoire, coaching a solo, or helping students understand what they're dancing, the distinction can be useful.

A dancer approaching a variation might ask: What is my character feeling? What story am I telling?

A dancer approaching a divertissement might ask: What qualities am I showcasing? How do I hold the audience's attention when I'm not advancing a plot?

Both require artistry. They just require different kinds of attention.

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