Dances at a Gathering premiered in 1969 with New York City Ballet. It is a work for ten dancers set to piano pieces by Chopin. Robbins began choreographing the ballet as a pas de deux for Edward Villella and Patricia McBride but was so inspired by the music that he continued to expand the piece. He ended with eighteen pieces in all and with five female dancers and five male dancers set apart by the colors of their costumes. Although the ballet has no specific plot, the tone of the piece is uplifting and is tinged with Slavic feeling reminiscent of mazurkas and waltzes.