Variation is a short solo dance within a classical ballet, designed to display a single dancer's technical and expressive range.
A variation in classical ballet is a brief solo dance, typically 60 to 90 seconds long, performed by a principal dancer or soloist within a larger work. Variations usually appear within a 'pas de deux' structure, where they are framed by the opening adagio (the duet) and the closing coda (a fast finale). The female variation often emphasises pointe work, balances, and intricate footwork; the male variation typically features jumps, turns, and beats. Each variation is a complete miniature performance, designed to display the dancer's specific virtues. The variations from 'Don Quixote', 'The Sleeping Beauty', 'Paquita', and 'La Bayadère' are competition standards: ballet auditions and gala programmes are built around them. A great dancer can make a thirty-two-bar variation feel like an entire emotional history.