Canova worked on the Dancer with her hand to her chin, now in the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Rome, from 1809-1814. The statue was originally bought by the banker Domenico Manzoni through Pietrò Giordani, who on Manzoni's behalf visited Canova's studio in 1811 and chose the modello of the Dancer, for which he offered the sum of 4,400 scudi. Due to a delay in payment, the finished marble was not installed until 1818, a year after Manzoni died. The statue was later sold to Count Gurief, the Russian Ambassador to Rome and was highly acclaimed for its fluid rhythm and linear grace.

The Dancer with her hands on her hips, now in the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, was commissioned by the Empress Josephine, probably in 1802 during her visit to Rome. Completed in 1811-12, the Dancer passed into the colection of Alexander I on the death of Josephine in 1815. Entitled Erato, the Muse of amorous dance, Canova initially thought to accompany the Dancer with a flute-playing faun. The statue was exhibited at the Salon of 1812 with great success and was appreciated particularly for the novelty of its pose. Marble copies of the figure were executed by Tadolini and Domenico Gandolfi among others.