The French title of
Petite Mort refers to "little death", a
euphemism for
orgasm.
Jennifer Dunning, also a critic at the
New York Times, commented, "
Petite Mort moved its dancers and the dresses in stylishly ordered ranks and might even have been making a comment about male warriors and the gutsy women beneath those incapacitating gowns." 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." These references are evident in the use of fencing foils and lighting designs inspired by baroque painter
Caravaggio's use of
chiaroscuro. 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... The costumes link this reworking of the past to sensuality and eroticism." ==Development and performances==