Petite Mort is a contemporary ballet choreographed by Jiří Kylián to music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

[2][3] Kylián explained, "This deliberate choice should not be seen as a provocation or thoughtlessness – rather as my way to acknowledge the fact that I am living and working as part of a world where nothing is sacred, where brutality and arbitrariness are commonplace.

"[5]: 291  New York Times dance critic Jack Anderson wrote, "The assertive choreography often treats the battle of the sexes as a duel", while moments where the women wear the long dresses "serve as reminders of decorum.

"[8] Vaghi, in analysing recurring allusions to baroque in Kylián's works, noted that in Petite Mort, such references "are mostly seen in elements that are visible and audible onstage, such as costumes and music, and are less evident in the structure.

[4] She noted that the costumes are not literally baroque, as they are too tight for undergarments at that period, and instead "qualify as a contemporary reworking with a touch of nostalgia that appeals to today's eyes ...

[5] Beginning in the mid-1990s, Petite Mort is performed in one evening with five other Kylián works, Six Dances, No More Play (both 1988), Falling Angels (1989), Sweet Dreams and Sarabande (both 1990), together known as the Black and White series, named for the colour of the costumes.