《小夜曲》是舞蹈史上的一个里程碑作品。它是乔治•巴兰钦在美国创作的第一部原创芭蕾舞剧，也是纽约城市芭蕾舞团的标志性作品之一。巴兰钦最初将此创作作为课上的舞台技巧练习，并将意想不到的排练事件融入编创中；学生在排练时摔倒或迟到都成为芭蕾的一部分。自1934年6月9日首演后，《小夜曲》经过多次改编。目前版本含有四个乐章：“奏鸣曲”、“华尔兹”、“俄罗斯舞”和“挽歌”。后两章颠倒了柴可夫斯基的乐谱顺序，以悲伤的音符结束了此芭蕾舞剧。巴兰钦认为与柴可夫斯基有一种特妹的密切联系。他在一次采访中说道：“在我对柴可夫斯基音乐所作的任何事情中，我都感觉到了他的帮助。虽然这不是真正的对话，但是当我在创作或获得灵感的时候，我感觉到是柴可夫斯基在帮助我。”

Serenade is a milestone in the history of dance. It is the first original ballet George Balanchine created in America, and is one of the signature works of New York City Ballet's repertory. Balanchine began the ballet as a lesson in stage technique and worked unexpected rehearsal events into the choreography; a student's fall or late arrival to rehearsal became part of the ballet. After its initial performance on June 9, 1934, Serenade was reworked several times. In its present form there are four movements: "Sonatina,"

"Waltz", "Russian Dance," and "Elegy" The last two movements reverse the order of Tchaikovsky's score, ending the ballet on a note of sadness.Balanchine had a special affinity for Tchaikovsky. "In everything that I did to Tchaikovsky's music," he told an interviewer, "I sensed his help. It wasn't real conversation, but when I was working and saw that something was coming of it, I felt that it was Tchaikovsky who had helped me."