Tchaikovsky's “Dance of the Little Swans” appears in his ballet Swan Lake. The dance is also known by its French title, Danse des petits cygnes, or by the English name “Dance of the Cygnets.”
It is performed by four dancers who link arms and move sideways in tightly coordinated steps. That chain-like formation is one reason the number is so recognizable: the dancers must maintain exact timing and spacing while creating the impression of a small group of swans moving together for protection.
Swan Lake was composed in 1875–76 and first performed in Moscow in 1877. The version most audiences know comes largely from the celebrated 1895 revival, choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. The famous Little Swans number belongs to the dances of the swans in Act II of the traditional staging, although act numbering can vary between productions.