Neoclassical ballet is the style of 20th century
classical ballet exemplified by the works of
George Balanchine. The term "neoclassical ballet" appears in the 1920s with
Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, in response to the excesses of romanticism and modernity. It draws on the advanced technique of 19th century Russian Imperial dance, but strips it of its detailed narrative and heavy theatrical setting. What is left is the dance itself, sophisticated but sleekly modern, retaining the
pointe shoe aesthetic, but eschewing the well-upholstered drama and mime of the full-length story ballet.