Abstract: Modal vibrations can be used as a representation for the motion of an elastic system, decoupling the dynamics into a set of independent equations, and providing a good approximation to the system behavior for small displacements from the equilibrium state. In computer animation, elastic joints are commonly used in the simulation and control of articulated characters, which naturally permits a modal representation. This paper revisits the computation of modes for a skeletal character, and surveys recent work on the use of modal vibrations for kinematic animation of locomotion and jumping, and in the creation of physically based locomotion controllers that exhibit a desired style. Examples of other applications are also presented, and possibilities for future work are discussed.