The art of character dancing in classical ballet is now almost lost, but when this book was first published in Russia in 1939 it still thrived. The authors, all brilliant character dancers themselves, were teachers at the Kirov Ballet, and were establishing a five-year course at the Kirov school.Their book was translated by Joan Lawson, a noted specialist in the subject, who herself studied in Russia and was for many years a teacher at the Royal Ballet School in London.
The first part of the book is devoted to class character exercises, and the second part gives specific character dances in various national styles - Russian, Hungarian, Polish, Gipsy, and Spanish.