Noted 19th-century choreographer and dancer Auguste Bournonville (1805-79), created many of the lasting works in the repertory of the Royal Danish Ballet. His distinctive style is noted for its precision, neatness, lightness and gaiety. It is filled with bouncy jumps, speedy footwork, small quick steps, and beats done while the upper body is held still. George Balanchine had been a great admirer of Bournonville's work ever since he was a guest choreographer at the Royal Danish Theater in 1929. The late Stanley Williams of the School of American Ballet was a respected authority on Bournonville, and he assembled some of the choreographer's finest dances in this divertissement, including excerpts from Napoli (1842), Kermess in Bruges (1851), La Ventana (1854), Flower Festival in Genzano (1858), and A Folk Tale (1854).