A short, light entertainment or performance, especially a musical interlude or dance number in a larger work.
From French 'divertissement' (divert + -issement, a suffix forming abstract nouns), from 'divertir' meaning to turn aside or amuse. Entered English from French in the 17th century as a musical and theatrical term.
In classical ballet and opera, a divertissement is actually a treasure—it's the showstopping dance sequence that lets performers dazzle audiences without advancing the plot, like the spectacular dancing in Swan Lake's final act.
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