The dancer balances on one leg, sharply extending the other to the side and raising her arms above her head with long feathers. The wave-like curve of the torso continues into the lines of the arms, while the short skirt flares around the hips, intensifying the impression of rotation. The pale ivory of the face, arms and legs contrasts strongly with the gilded bronze costume; the textured bodice and folds of the skirt further animate the figure. The unusual headdress and feathers transform the dancer into a stage image close to the aesthetics of revue and costumed performance in the first decades of the 20th century. The small stone base emphasizes the almost acrobatic instability of the pose. Gory’s work clearly combines the traditional chryselephantine technique with the period’s new fascination with dance, popular entertainment and freedom of movement.

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