BALLET TERMS A-Z https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_ballet

Wikipedia page was last modified on 9 February 2016, at 12:46.

A

A la seconde Aposition of the leg to the side or a movement with the leg held to the side

in second position, as in a pirouette à la seconde, in which a dancer turns with the working leg à

la hauteur ('elevated') in second position

Also, one of the directions of the body, facing the audience (i.e. en face), arms in second

position, with one leg extended to second position.

À la quatrième

One of the directions of body, facing the audience (en face), arms in second position, with one

leg extended either to fourth position in front (quatrième devant) or fourth position behind

(quatrième derrière).

À terre

Touching the floor.

Adagio

Italian or French adage meaning 'slowly, at ease.'

1. Slow movements performed with fluidity and grace.

2. The section of a grand pas (e.g., grand pas de deux), often referred to as grand adage,

that features dance partnering.

Allegro

Brisk, lively motion. An attribute of many movements, including those in which a dancer is

airborne (e.g., assemblé, changement,entrechat, sauté, sissonne, soubresaut).

Allongé

Meaning 'elongated.'

Aplomb

The apparent elegance and precision exhibited by a confident, accomplished dancer.

Arabesque

First Arabesque

A body position in which a dancer stands on one leg (the supporting leg) with the other leg

(the working leg) turned out and extended behind the body, with both legs held straight. Several

variations of arabesque can be found among the various ballet styles.

Arrondi

Meaning 'rounded' A position of the hand. Rounded, in contrast with allongé ('stretched out', as in

arabesque).

Assemblé

Assemblé

Literally 'assembled' Sometimes also pas assemblé. A jump that lands on two feet. When

initiated from two feet, the working leg performs a battement glissé/dégagé, brushing out. The

dancer launches into a jump, with the second foot then meeting the first foot before landing. A

petit assemblé is when a dancer is standing on one foot with the other extended. The dancer

then does a small jump to meet the first foot.

Attitude

Attitude derrière

A position in which a dancer stands on one leg (the supporting leg) while the other leg

(working leg) is raised at hip height ("a la hauteur") and turned out with knee bent to form an

angle of approximately 90° between the thigh and the lower leg. The height of the knee versus

the foot and the angle of the knee flexion will vary depending on the techniques. The working leg

can be held behind (derrière), in front (devant), or to the side (à la seconde) of the body. The

alignment of the thigh compared to the midline in Attitude derriere will vary depending on the

techniques. The foot of the supporting leg may be flat on the floor, en demi-pointe (ball of the

foot), or en pointe (tips of the toes). The standing leg can be straight or bend ("fondu"). Attitude

was originally created to display the emotional zone of the leg: the knee to the ankle (Citation

needed).

Avant, en

Meaning 'forwards' A movement towards the front, as opposed to en arrière, which is conversely

a movement towards the back. For example, a step travelling en avant moves forwards towards

the audience, as in sissonne en avant.

Arrière, en

Meaning 'backwards' A movement towards the back, as opposed to en avant.

B Balancé

Balancé

A rocking sequence of three steps — fondu, relevé, fondu (down, up, down) — executed in three

counts. Before the first count, one foot extends in a dégagé to second position (balancé de côté)

or to the front (balancé en avant) or rear (balancé en arrière). The second foot in the sequence

(in any direction) assembles behind the first to relevé in fifth or fourth position.

Balançoire

Swinging the working leg between front (devant) and back (derrière) through first position,

usually in conjunction with grands battements or attitudes and involving seesaw like shifting of

the upper body in opposition to the legs. Similar to en cloche.

Ballerina

(Italian) A principal female ballet dancer.

Ballerino

(Italian) A principal male ballet dancer.

Ballet technique

The foundational principles of body movement and form used in ballet.

Balletomane

A ballet fan or enthusiast.

Ballon

Showing lightness of movement in leaps and jumps. A dancer exhibiting ballon will appear to

spring effortlessly, float in mid-air, and land softly.

Balloné

In classical ballet, the term balloné is a step where the leg is extended to the second or fourth

position (can be front, side, or back) at 45 degrees. The knee is then bent and the foot brought to

a sur le cou-de-pied position.

Ballotté

A ballotté is a step in classical ballet that consists of coupé dessous performed with a rocking

and swinging movement. The step can be performed with straight knees at 45 degrees or with

développés at 90 degrees.

Barre

A sturdy horizontal bar, approximately waist height, used during ballet warm-up exercises and

training. Fixed barres are typically mounted on mirror-covered walls; portable barres can be

relocated as needed.

Battement

('beating, beat') A movement of the working leg, often rapidly, to the front (en avant or à la

quatrième devant), side (à la seconde), or back (en arrière or à la quatrième derrière).

Common battements typically referred to by their abbreviated names: battement tendu,

battement glissé/tendu jeté/dégagé, battementfrappé, battement fondu, battement relevé lent.

(Also, battement retiré, battement piqué, battement développé, according to Gail Grant.[2])

Common battements (referred to as battement):

Grand battement: brushing the working leg out to à la hauteur (elevated), generally 90

degrees or higher. Includes grand battement en cloche and grand battement

jeté balançoire (Rus.).

Grand battement en rond / arrondi (Fr.) ('circle'/'rounded'): 1) brushing the working leg to

fourth à la hauteur and arcing the raised leg through second to the opposite fourth (i.e. in

contrast to en croix 'cross', which returns the leg back to the ground in each position) or 2) if

performed as Grand rond de jambe jeté, brushing the working leg through petit

développé (cou-de-pied) or développé to seconde à la hauteur and briskly arcing the raised

leg around to fourth derrière (en dehors) or fourth devant (en dedans).

Petit battement: an alternating beating of the working foot from cou-de-pied front or

wrapped to cou-de-pied back, the working leg held in petit retiré

(Petit) battement serré / battu ('tightened'/'beaten'): non-alternating beating of the working

foot at cou-de-pied (front, wrapped, or back)

Batterie

A movement in which the feet quickly pass each other, back to front, creating a flapping or

"beating" effect, often performed in connection with jumps and turns.

Battu

Meaning 'beaten' A movement with an extra beating of the feet included, as in jeté battu.

Brisé

Brise

literally 'broken' A jump consisting of an assemblé with a beat of the feet/legs, changing to fifth

position and back again in the air before landing. Examples: one leg could be thrust from fifth

position to second position in the air with the second leg reaching the first in mid-air executing a

beat before landing back in the original fifth position. An execution of brisé devant could start

croisé in fifth position brushing out to fourth with a changement in air and back again to the

original fifth by the time of landing. A brisé derrière would be executed similarly with the front foot

initiating the movement and brushing to effacé derriére. The back foot brushes through first to

dégagé effacé devant, the back leg thrusts up to meet the front leg, beaten to the front, and both

feet landing in the starting fifth position. A dancer may practice petits battements in preparation

for brisés. Brisé volé are many brisés completed in quick succession alternating front and back.

Bras croisés

Literally 'crossed arms') Arm placement in which one arm is extended in second position away

from the audience while the other is curved in first position (Cecchetti fourth position en avant or

RAD/French third position).

Bravura

LA flashy, showy and elaborate style of dance that involves a lot of elaborate steps and style to

similar music. Usually during a key solo.

Bourrée

Abbreviation for pas de bourrée couru. Quick, even movements, often en pointe, giving the

appearance of gliding. The word originates from an old French dance resembling the

gavotte.[citation needed].

C Cabriole

Meaning 'caper. An allegro step in which the extended legs are beaten in the air. Cabrioles are

divided into two categories: petite, which are executed at 45 degrees, and grande, which are

executed at 90 degrees. The working leg is thrust into the air, the underneath leg follows and

beats against the first leg, sending it higher. The landing is then made on the underneath leg.

Cabriole may be done devant, derrière and à la seconde in any given position of the body such

as croisé, effacé, écarté, and so on.

Cambré

Literally 'arched.') A bending at the waist in any direction, forward, backward, or to the side.

Chaînés

Also known as "chaînés turns," a common abbreviation for tours chaînés déboulés, a series of

quick, 360 degree turns that alternate the feet while traveling along a straight line or in a circular

path. The majority of the turn is on the leading foot, with feet held in a tight first position en

pointe or demi-pointe.

Changement

Literally 'change, changing.' Common abbreviated name for changement de pieds. A jump in

which the feet change positions in the air. For example, beginning in fifth position with the right

foot front, plié, jump switching the right leg to the back, and land in fifth position with the left foot

front. In the Vaganova vocabulary, petit changement de pieds indicates a changement where the

feet barely leave the floor.

Chassé

Chassé

Literally 'chased.' A slide forward, backward, or sideways with both legs bent, then springing into

the air with legs straight and together. It can be done either in a gallop or by pushing the leading

foot along the floor in a plié to cause an upward spring. It is typically performed in a series or as

part of a combination of other movements.

Cloche, en

Meaning 'like a bell.') Refers to brushing through first position from fourth devant or fourth

derrière to the opposite fourth with the upper body held upright. Can be done continuously, as is

often done with grands battements and attitudes. Similar to Balançoire, which additionally allows

seesaw like upper-body shifting in counterpoint to the legs.

The Vaganova system may refer to en cloche as "passé la jambe" or "battement passé la

jambe".[3]

Coda

Literally 'tail.') The concluding segment of a performance or suite of dances comprising a grand

pas (e.g., grand pas de deux). A particularly large or complex coda may be called a grand coda.

If a large group of dancers participate, the terms coda générale or grand coda générale may be

used.

Corps de ballet

The ensemble of a ballet company, especially the ensemble apart from the featured dancers.

Being a part of the corps means one is neither a soloist nor a principal dancer.

Coryphée

In some systems, a dancer of higher rank than a member of the corps de ballet, performing in

small ensembles and small solo roles but not ranked as a soloist.

Côté, de

A movement to the side.

Cou-de-pied

Position of the arched working foot raised to, on, or around the ankle. This could be in front

(["conditional"] devant), behind (["conditional"] derrière), or wrapped (sur le cou-de-pied: devant -

wrapped heel front, toes back; derrière - wrapped toes front, heel back), depending on the

activity and the school of ballet.

Coupé

Meaning 'cut.') Coupé is both a step and action. It is commonly executed from cou-de-pied front

to cou-de-pied back or vice versa. It may also be done from an extended leg position

into fondu or directly through fifth position (as in concluding a jeté). Coupé can only be performed

through a closed leg position.

The Vaganova School rarely uses the term coupé except as the preparation for specific allegros.

Rather, "tombé through fifth position" is more commonly used.[4]

In the United States, "coupé" may be used to denote the position cou-de-pied, not unlike "passé"

is used to denote the position retiré in addition to the action of passing through retiré.

Couru

'Run,' past participle, as in 'making small quick steps.') In most cases, this holds the calves

together and the feet in a tight fifth position en pointe or demi-pointe and travels forward,

backward, or to either side. E.g. pas de bourrée couru (also called bourrée for short).

Croisé, croisée

Meaning 'crossed.' One of the positions of the body or épaulement. Facing one of the corners of

the stage, the body presents at an oblique angle to the audience, such that the audience can see

still both shoulders and hips. The working leg may be crossed to the front (devant) or to the back

(derrière).

Croisé is used in the third, fourth, and fifth positions of the legs. A dancer is in croisé devant if at

a 45 angle to the audience, the downstage leg (closest to the audience) is working to the front

and the arms are open in third or fourth with the downstage arm being the one in second. A

dancer is in croisé derrière if at a 45 degree angle to the audience, the upstage leg (farthest from

the audience) is working to the back and the arms are open in third, fourth,

or allongé in arabesque with the upstage arm being the one out towards second, e.g. arabesque

croisée or Russian fourth arabesque. Croisé derrière in the Russian school alternatively has the

upstage leg working to the back, but the downstage arm out to second.

Examples of croisé: the front leg is the right leg and the dancer is facing the front-left corner of

the stage; or the front leg is the left, and the dancer is facing his/her front-right corner.

Croix, en Meaning 'in the shape of a cross.') Term often used during barre exercises to indicate that a step is done to the front, to the side, to the back, and then again to the side (as in the shape of a cross),

Finishing closed in either first or fifth position.

D Danseur

(Italian) A male ballet dancer.

Danseur noble

(Italian) A highly accomplished male ballet dancer.

Danseuse

(Italian) A female ballet dancer.

Déboulé

Literally 'hurtled,' as in 'with great speed.') Another name denoting the same move as

a chaîné (i.e. les tours chaînés déboulés). A fast sequence of half turns performed by stepping

onto one leg, and completing the turn by stepping onto the other, performed on the balls of the

feet or high on the toes, with the legs held very close together. These can be performed in a

circle (en manège) or in a straight line (chaîné).

Dedans, en

En dehors; en dedans

(French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ dədɑ̃]; 'inwards.') Inside movement. Circular movement where a leg that

starts at the back or the side moves towards the front. For the right leg, this is a counter-

clockwise circle. For the left leg, this is a clockwise circle. For example, in a rond de jambe en

dedans, starting from first position, the foot first extends to tendu back, then moves to tendu to

the side, and then tendu front, and back in again to first position. In a pirouette en dedans, the

body turns such that the working leg moving forward or ahead of the supporting leg. Opposite

of en dehors.

Dégagé

Meaning disengaged. Common abbreviation for battement dégagé, the foot of the working leg

sharply brushes through the floor through tendu pointed in the air 45 degrees or lower. Dégagé is

part of the (initiating) execution of jumps such as jeté, assemblé, brisé, and glissade.

Primarily a Cecchetti/RAD term, this is known as battement tendu jeté in the Russian School

or battement glissé in the French School.

Dehors, en

'outwards.' Circular movement where a leg that starts at the front or the side moves towards the

back. For the working leg, this is a clockwise circle. For example, in a rond de jambe en dehors,

starting from first position, the foot (either left or right) would first extend tendu front, move

to tendu to the side, and then tendu back, and back in again to first position. In a pirouette en

dehors, the body turns in the direction of the working leg (the leg raised in retiré passé). Opposite

of en dedans.

Demi

Meaning 'half.' Applied to plié, pointe, and other movements or positions to indicate a smaller or

lesser version.

Demi-détourné

A pivoted half turn executed on both feet. For example, if starting right foot front in 5th position,

demi-plié and then relevé onto demi-pointe while pivoting a half turn inwards/en dedans towards

the direction of the back foot (here left). The feet will have now changed position with the left foot

in front in 5th position. Plié and straighten the legs.

Demi-pointe

Supporting one's body weight on the balls of one or both feet, heels raised off the floor.

Derrière

Literally 'behind.' At or to the back. For example, a battement tendu derrière is a battement

tendu to the rear.

Dessous

Literally 'under’. Used to indicate that the front leg should be brought to close behind the other

leg during a step. For example, assemblé, pas de bourrée, and glissade can be designated

as under or dessous.

Dessus

Used to indicate that the back leg should be brought to close in front of the other leg during a

step. For example, assemblé, pas de bourrée, and glissade can be designated

as over or dessus.

Devant

Facing or moving to the front, as in tendu devant or attitude devant.

Développé

Common abbreviation for temps développé. A movement in which the leg is first lifted to retiré,

then fully extended outward, passing through attitude. It can be done to the front (devant), to the

side (à la seconde), or to the back (derrière).

Double

Meaning 'double.' Making two of a movement, such as in double rond de jambe en l'air.

E Écarté

Literally 'spread,' as in 'separated.') One of the basic positions of the body facing the audience at

an oblique angle and with the downstage leg open insecond position, along the other diagonal,

either touching the floor or en l'air. The arms are held in an attitude position with the arm on the

same side as the working leg (i.e. the downstage arm) raised en haut and the other arm in

second (i.e. fourth ouvert). The gaze is directed to the raised arm along the same diagonal.

In schools that recognize an écarté derrière, such as the French school, écarté devant is

described above, and écarté derrière differs in having the working leg in second being on the

same side as the corner the body is facing, i.e. the upstage leg is the working leg; the upstage

arm is en haut.

Échappé

Literally 'escaped.' A movement done from a closed (first or fifth) position to an open (second or

fourth) position. There are two kinds of échappés:échappé sauté and échappé sur les

pointes or demi-pointes. In an échappé sauté, a dancer takes a deep plié followed by a jump in

which the legs "escape" into either second (usually when initiating from first position) or fourth

position (usually when initiating from fifth position) landing in demi-plié. In échappé sur le

pointes/demi-pointes a dancer begins with a deep plié, springs onto les pointes or demi-pointes,

ending in either second position (when starting from first position) or fourth (when starting from

fifth) with knees straight. The dancer may or may not return to the initial position, depending on

the choreography.

Effacé, effacée

Literally 'erased,' as in 'obscured.') One of the positions of the body or épaulement in which a

dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience such that part of the body is almost hidden

from the audience's view. The working leg is the upstage leg (farthest from audience), and the

arms are such that the downstage arm (nearest the audience) crosses the body or the face (such

as in fourth ouvert with the downstage arm en haut). This position is the opposite of croisé and is

considered ouvert('open'). Effacé may also be used to qualify a pose in which the legs are open

(i.e. not crossed).

In schools that recognize an effacé derrière, such as the French and Russian schools, the above

describes effacé devant, and effacé derrière differs in having the downstage leg working to the

back with the downstage arm remaining the one en haut.

Examples of effacé: right working leg and dancer facing corner to his/her front-right (stage right),

or left working leg and dancer facing corner to his/her front-left (stage left).

Élevé

'Raised, lifted.' Rising to pointe or demi-pointe from straight legs and flat feet.[5] This term is used

in some schools in contrast with relevé (in effect, 'relifted'), which is taken to indicate a rise

from plié (bent knees). In other schools (French, Russian, textbook Cecchetti), relevé covers

both these concepts.

Emboîté

A small traveling step (en avant or en arrière) where each leg is alternately brought to cou-de-

pied, passing the previous standing leg in doing so, i.e. a changement emboîté. (This may have

the look of running in place.) This step is known as a petit jeté in RAD and the French school.

A grand emboîté is a traveling jump where each leg is alternately brought to attitude in the air,

each foot passing the previous one in alternating.

En

Meaning 'in.' A preposition used in description of a dancer's position (e.g., en plié, en relevé, en

pointe) or holding the meaning 'towards' when describing direction of a movement (en avant, en

arrière, en dedans, en dehors = 'to the front,' 'to the back', 'to the inside,' 'to the outside').

En avant

See Avant

En arrière

See Arrière

En cloche

See Cloche

En croix

See Croix

Front side back side ( in the shape of a cross )

En dedans

See Dedans

En dehors

See Dehors

En face

See Face

En pointe

See Pointe

Entrechat

Entrechat quatre

'Intertwined.' "A step of beating in which the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses the

legs before and behind."[6] In an entrechat quatre ('four'), starting from fifth position, right foot

front, a dancer will jump up with legs crossed, execute a changement beating the right thigh at

the back of the left thigh, then bring the right leg in front again beating the front of the left thigh,

and land in the same position as started. In an entrechat six ('six'), three changes of the feet are

made in the air, ultimately changing which foot is in front. Even-numbered entrechats indicate the

number of times the legs cross in and out in the air: a regular changement is two (one out, one

in), entrechat quatre is two outs, two ins; six is three and three; huit is four and four.

Entrée

1. The initial part of a grand pas, which serves as an introduction for the suite of dances

comprising the grand pas.

2. The initial appearance of a lead character or characters of a ballet on stage.

Épaulé

'Shouldered.' One of the positions of the body or épaulement where the body is at an oblique

angle to the audience, the downstage arm is allongé in front and the downstage shoulder

appears prominent to the audience as the downstage leg works to the back (e.g. second

arabesque).

Épaulement

'Shouldering.' Rotation of the shoulders and head relative to the hips in a pose or a step. This

term relates only to the movement of the body from the waist up. The head generally looks over

shoulder that is forward (downstage).

F Face, en

'Facing, in front of.') En face indicates facing something directly, generally the audience.

Failli

'Given way', past participle.) A slide or brush-through transition step following a preceding jump

or position. Failli is often used as shorthand for a sissonne (ouverte +pas) failli, indicating a jump

from two feet landing on one (sissonne) with the back foot then sliding through to the front

(chassé passé), and this is often done in conjunction with an assemblé: (sissonne) failli

assemblé. E.g. From croisé, the upstage leg opens behind on the sissonne as the body changes

direction in the air to land ouverte effacé; the back leg which is now downstage slides through in

a chassé passé to fourth in front, ending the dancer croisé the corner opposite the original. This

chassé passé is the (pas) failli. An assemblé (dessus/over) to the opposite corner would reorient

the body back to its the original position. Failli phrased with arabesque indicates the brushed

follow-through of an arabesqued leg from elevated behind to fourth in front as lead-in to a

following step.

First position (feet)

Turned out legs with the feet pointing in opposite directions, heels touching.

Fermé, fermée

'Closed.' Converse of ouvert(e) ('open'). Fermé may refer to positions (the first, fifth, and third

positions of the feet are positions fermées), limbs, directions, or certain exercises or steps.

Example: a sissonne fermée ends with closed legs.

Fish dive

A fish dive lift

A partnering dance lift, often performed as part of a pas de deux, in which the male dancer

supports the female in a poisson position.

Flic flac

Familiar French term for battement fouetté à terre. A step where the foot of the working leg

sweeps flexed across the floor from pointed à la seconde (en l'air, as in dégagé) to pointed at

cou-de-pied devant or derrière.

Fondu

Literally 'melted.') Abbreviation for battement fondu, a lowering of the body made by bending the

knee of the supporting leg, the working leg extending out à terre or in the air. Saint-Léon wrote,

"Fondu is on one leg what a plié is on two." Fondu at the barre often refers to battement fondu

développé, where the supporting leg begins fondu with the foot of the working leg at cou-de-

pied; the working leg extends out through a petit développé as the supporting leg straightens.

Fouetté

Dancer performingFouetté en tournant en dehors

Literally 'whipped.' Fouetté itself refers to a move where a quick pivot on the supporting leg

changes the orientation of the body and the working leg. E.g. An 180-degree or 90-degree

fouetté could involve a working leg beginning extended elevated in front; the supporting leg rising

onto demi-pointe or pointe quickly executing a "half" turn inside/en dedans, leading to the

working leg ending in arabesque and the body now facing the opposite direction or stage

direction. (This brand of action can be seen in both tour jetés and walt turns (pas de valse en

tournant).) A fouetté could also change the leg/body orientation from, for example, en face à la

seconde to épaulé (second) arabesque/croisé first arabesque or effacé devant, if outside/en

dehors, via a 45-degree turn.

Fouetté is also common shorthand for fouetté rond de jambe en tournant (pictured here en

dehors). A fouetté turn is a turn that begins with the supporting leg in plié. As the supporting foot

transitions to demi-pointe or pointe, in an en dehors turn, the working leg extends forward and

then whips around to the side as the working foot is retracted to the supporting knee in retiré,

creating the impetus to rotate one turn. The working leg returns out of retiré nearing the end of a

single rotation to restart the entire leg motion for successive rotations.

Fouetté jeté

A leap that begins with a fouetté.

Frappé

'Struck.' Abbreviation of battement frappé. Action of extending the working foot out from cou-de-

pied. In Cecchetti, RAD, and American ballet, on flat, this action involves brushing a flexed (or

non-pointed relaxed) foot from cou-de-pied through the floor, the ball of the foot (lightly) striking

as extending out pointed through dégagé. In the Russian school, a pointed foot at cou-de-pied

extends directly out to dégagé height without brushing through the floor. On demi-pointe,

Cecchetti employs the Russian style of non-brushed pointed foot directly out. Other schools may

use a flexed foot without the strike or a non-brushed pointed foot on demi-pointe.

Frappés are commonly done in singles, doubles, or triples. Double and triple frappés involve

tapping the foot (flexed or pointed) at both cou-de-pied devant (or wrapped) and derrière before

extending out. (E.g. Double frappé front would be cou-de-pied back, cou-de-pied front, dégagé

front. Double frappé back would be front, back, [dégagé] back. Triple frappé front would be front,

back, front, [dégagé] front.)

G Glissade

Literally 'glide. A traveling step starting in fifth position from demi-plié. The leading foot brushes

out to dégagé as weight bears on the trailing leg, weight is shifted to the leading leg via a jump

and the trailing foot extends out of plié into degagé. The leading foot lands tombé and the trailing

foot slides in to meet the leading foot in fifth position demi-plié. A glissade can be done en

avant, en arrière, dessous (leading front foot ends back), dessus (leading back foot ends front),

or without achangement of feet.

Glissade précipitée

'Precipitated glide.' A quick glissade generally done leading into a following step, such as

with glissade jeté or glissade assemblé.

Grand écart

Literally 'big gap.') Opening the legs to 180°, front or sideways. Known as 'spagat' in German or

'the splits' in English,

Grand plié

A full plié or bending of the knees. Throughout the movement, the pelvis should be kept neutral,

the back straight and aligned with the heels, the legs turned out, and the knees over the feet.

From standing to bent this should be fluid. A purpose of the grand plié is to warm up the ankles

and stretch the calves.

Grand jeté

A grand jeté

A long horizontal jump, starting from one leg and landing on the other. Known as a split in the air.

It is most often done forward and usually involves doing full leg splits in mid-air. It consists

basically of a grand écart with a moving jump. The front leg brushes straight into the air in

a grand battement, as opposed to from développé (or an unfolding motion). The back leg follows

making

Grand pas

A suite of individual dances that serves as a showpiece for lead dancers, demi-soloists, and in

some cases the corps de ballet. Often regarded as the pièce de résistance of a ballet. It usually

consists of an entreé, a grand adage, and a coda, which brings the suite to a conclusion. After

the adage, it may include a dance for the corps de ballet (often referred to as the ballabile),

variations for demi-soloists, variations for lead ballerina and danseur, or some combinations of

these.

Various types of "grand pas" are found in ballet, including:

A grand pas d'action is one that contributes to a ballet's story.

In a grand pas classique, classical ballet technique prevails and no character dances are

included.

A grand pas de deux serves as the pièce de résistance for the principal male and female

characters of a full-length ballet.

A grand pas danced by three or four dancers is a grand pas de trois or grand pas de quatre,

respectively.

H Hortensia

"A male dancer's step in which the dancer jumps into the air with the legs drawn up, one in front

of the other, then reverses their position [...] several times before landing with the feet apart

again."[7] This step can look akin to swimming in air.

J

Jeté[edit]

'Thrown.' A leap in which one leg appears to be thrown in the direction of the movement (en

avant, en arrière, or sideways). There are several kinds ofjetés, including jeté / jeté

ordinaire (RAD) / pas jeté (Rus.), grand jeté, and tour jeté (ABT) / grand jeté en

tournant (Fr./Cecc.) / jeté entrelacé (Rus.), or the common compound step coupé jeté (en

tournant).

Jeté (jeté ordinaire/pas jeté) refers to a jump initiated en plié, with the pointed working foot

brushing out in dégagé from cou-de-pied (derrière) to seconde (action similar to a non-

Russian-style flat frappé), weight being transferred via a jump propelled by pushing off the

standing leg from plié, the leading leg landing tombé and the foot of the other/former

standing leg ending cou-de-pied (derrière). Some schools (including ABT at one point) may

still refer to this as a petit jeté.

Grand jeté: see grand jeté, a jump initiated with a grand battement en avant of the leading

leg while pushing off the trailing leg from plié (usually led into by some moving step such as

chassé, glissade en avant, or pas couru), the trailing leg brushing to grand battement

derrière while in the air, the jump ultimately landing on the leading leg. Resembles the splits

(en l'air).

Tour jeté / jeté entralacé ('turn'/'interlaced') is a grand jeté done turning: a jump initiated

with a grand battement en avant of the leading leg, followed by a fouetté turning the direction

of the body 180 degrees and the trailing leg brushing through to a grand battement derrière,

the jump landing arabesque with the leading leg now the standing (landing) leg.

Coupé jeté en tournant is a compound step, usually done in multiples en manège ('in a

circle'), of a coupé (changing the supporting foot) initiating the first quarter of a turn leading

into a grand jeté completing the 360-degree rotation of the turn.

Petit jeté in RAD and the French school[6] refers to a one-footed changement passing

through cou-de-pied and is what other schools refer to as a changement emboîté.

O Ouvert, ouverte

'Open, opened.' Converse of fermé(e) ('closed'). Ouvert may refer to positions (the second and

fourth positions of the feet are positions ouvertes), limbs, directions, or certain exercises or steps.

In the French School, this term is used to indicate a position or direction of the body similar to

effacé.

P Partnering

Dancing performed by a pair of dancers, typically a male and a female, in which the pair strives

to achieve a harmony of coordinated movements so that the audience remains unaware of the

mechanics. A dance that is focused on a single pair of partnering dancers is a pas de deux. For a

male dancer, partnering may involve lifting, catching, and carrying a partner, and providing

assistance and support for leaps, promenades and pirouettes.

Pas

Literally 'step.') A dance, or a suite of dances as in grand pas.

Pas de basque

'Step of the Basques.') Halfway between a step and a leap, taken on the floor (glissé) or with a

jump (sauté); it can be done moving toward the front or toward the back. This step can also be

found in Scottish highland dance.

Starting in fifth position croisé, a dancer executes a plié while brushing the downstage leg out

to tendu front. The downstage leg does a demi rond de jambe to the opposite corner while the

body turns to face that corner. Weight is quickly transferred to that brushed leg, now upstage,

allowing the dancer to pass the newly downstage leg through first position via a chassé passé to

fourth devant, ending croisé the new corner, and finishing by bringing the upstage leg in to close

fifth.

Pas de bourrée

Jazz dance pas de bourrée, which differs slightly from ballet

'Step of bourrée.') A quick sequence of movements beginning with extension of the first leg while

demi-plié, closing the first leg to the second as both transition to relevé (demi-pointe or pointe),

extending the second leg to an open position while relevé, and closing the first leg to the second

in demi-plié (or optionally with legs straight if performed quickly or as the final step of an

enchainement). Variants include:

pas de bourrée derrière - 'behind' / pas de bourrée devant - 'front'

pas de bourrée dessus - 'over,' initially closing the working foot in front / pas de bourrée

dessous - 'under,' initially closing the working foot behind

pas de bourrée en arriere - 'traveling backward' / pas be bourrée en avant - 'traveling

forward'

pas be bourrée en tournant en dedans - 'turning inward' / pas de bourrée en tournant en

dehors - 'turning outward'

pas de bourrée ouvert - 'open,' an open->closed->open sequence

pas de bourrée piqué - 'pricked,' with working leg quickly lifted after pricking the floor

pas de bourrée couru - 'running,' also 'flowing like a river'

Pas de chat

Pas de chat

'Step of the cat.' A traveling sideways jump where while mid-air the legs are successively bent,

brought to retiré, feet as high up as possible, knees apart. The Dance of the Cygnets from Swan

Lake involves sixteen pas de chat performed by four dancers holding hands, arms interlaced.

In the Cecchetti and French schools, this may be referred to as a saut de chat ('jump of the cat').

Grand pas de chat

A jump where the leading leg extends forward through grand battement or développé and the

trailing leg remains in retiré until landing.

"Russian" pas de chat

A jump where the legs are successively brought to attitude derrière instead of retiré.[6] This

variant of the pas de chat appears in several Petipa ballets (e.g. the 4th variation in Paquita).

Pas de cheval

'Step of the horse.' A movement of the leg to cou-de-pied and sharply out to pointe

tendue through a petit développé.

Pas de deux

('Step of two.') A dance duet, usually performed by a female and a male dancer.

Pas de poisson

'Step of the fish.') A type of soubresaut, or a jump without a change of feet. From fifth position, a

dancer executes a deep demi-plié and then jumps arching the back with straight legs behind, so

that the body is curved like a fish jumping out of water. Also called temps de poisson.

Pas de quatre

('Step of four.') A dance by four dancers.

Pas de trois

('Step of three.') A dance by three dancers.

Pas de valse

'Waltz step.' A sequence of three steps — fondu, relevé, elevé (down, up, up) — always

advancing (like a march), done in three counts to music generally in 3/4 time, traveling in any

direction or while turning (en tournant). The feet do not assemble (or "cross each other") on any

step as occurs in a balancé; each step instead passes the last.

Passé

Literally 'passed.') Passing the working foot through from back to front or vice versa. Generally

used to refer to retiré passé, indicating passing the foot of the working leg past the knee of the

supporting leg (on, below, or above) from back to front or front to back. Retiré passé may initiate

or complete by sliding the working foot up or down the supporting leg from or to the floor, may be

executed directly from an open position such as in pirouette from fourth, or may transition from

knee to another position such as arabesque or attitude (as in développé). A chassé can also

pass through from back to front as in (sissonne) failli: chassé passé.

Penché

Arabesque penché

'Tilted' Tilting the body forward about the hip of the supporting leg so that the head is lower than

the working leg, as in arabesque penché.

Petit saut

'small jump.' A small jump, in which the feet do not change positions in mid-air; also called temps

levé sauté in the Vaganova vocabulary.

Piqué

Meaning 'pricked. A movement in which the raised, pointed foot of the working leg is lowered so

that it pricks the floor and then either rebounds upward (as in battement piqué) or becomes a

supporting foot. In the latter case, it may be used to transfer a stance from one leg to the other by

stepping out directly onto an en pointe or demi-pointe foot and often immediately precedes a

movement that entails elevating the new working leg, such as a piquéarabesque.

In Cecchetti and RAD, the term posé is used instead of piqué outside of the battement: piqué

arabesque and ABT piqué turn/tour piqué (en dedans) / Rus. tour dégagé = RAD/Cecc. posé

arabesque and posé turn/posé en tournant.

Piqué turn

A tour piqué or piqué turn is a traveling turn executed by the leg stepping out onto an en pointe

or demi-pointe foot becoming the supporting leg while the working leg moves from plié to retiré

derrière, if an en dedans turn, or retiré devant, if an en dehors turn. In fast piqué turns, petit retiré

may be executed instead (i.e. working foot at cou-de-pied). Most commonly done en dedans,

piqué turns en dehors are also referred to as lame ducks.

Pirouette

A non-traveling turn on one leg, of one or more rotations, often starting with one or both legs

in plié and rising onto demi-pointe or pointe. The non-supporting leg is generally held

in retiré devant ('front')—when initiated from fourth, this would be a retiré passé—but could also

be held in other positions such as seconde. Pirouettes are most often executed en dehors,

turning outwards in the direction of the working leg, but can also be done en dedans, turning

inwards in the direction of the supporting leg. (e.g. En dehors turns clockwise (to the right) if the

right leg is working and the left leg supporting/standing.) Spotting is employed to help maintain

balance. A pirouette may return to its starting position or finish in arabesque or attitude.

In other genres of dance, such as jazz or modern, it is common to see pirouettes performed with

legs parallel (i.e. sixth position) instead of turned out as in ballet.

Plié

Demi-plié

Literally 'bent.' A smooth and continuous bending of the knees outward with the upper body held

upright.

In demi-plié, a dancer bends the knees while maintaining turnout, the knees ending directly

above the line of the toes without releasing the heels from the floor. As soon as the bottom of the

bend is reached, the bend is reversed and the legs are straightened.

In grand plié, in first, third, crossed fourth, and fifth positions, the heels come off the ground past

demi-plié with the feet ending in high demi-pointe at the bottom of the bend. In second and open

fourth positions, the heels stay on the ground in grand plié.

Pointe, en

An en pointefoot in a pointe shoe

Supporting one's body weight on the tips of the toes, usually while wearing structurally

reinforced pointe shoes.

Pointe technique

The part of classical ballet technique that concerns pointe work (dancing on the tips of the toes).

Pointe work

Performing steps while on the tips of the toes, with feet fully extended and wearing pointe shoes,

a structurally reinforced type of shoe designed specifically for this purpose. Most often performed

by women.

Poisson

Literally 'fish.' A body position in which the back is arched and legs are crossed in fifth position or

the working leg is held retiré. This position may be assumed while jumping or in partnering lifts,

as in a fish dive.

Port de bras

'Carriage of the arms.') An exercise for the movement of the arms (and in some schools, the

upper body) to different positions. For example, a basic port de bras exercise could move from

fifth en bas ('low') (i.e. bras bas or preparatory position) to first arm position, to second arm

position, back down to fifth en bas. A fullport de bras could move from en bas to en haut ('high',

i.e. overhead) and back down. Port de bras movements vary by school and by action.

The phrase port de bras is used in some schools and parts of the world to indicate a bending

forward, backward, or circularly of the body at the waist, generally to be followed by bringing the

upper body back to center/upright again, e.g. "port de bras forward," "port de bras back," "circular

port de bras/grand port de bras." Bending at the waist is otherwise known as cambré.

Posé

A term of the Cecchetti school and RAD. From a fondu, a dancer steps with a straight leg onto

an en pointe or demi-pointe foot, then brings the working leg to cou-de-pied, so that if the step is

repeated, the working leg will execute a petit développé. This can be done in any direction or

turning (the later also known as tour piqué).

Positions of the arms

There are two basic positions of the arms. In one, the dancer keeps the fingers of both arms

almost touching to form an oval/round shape, either near the hips, at navel level, or raised above

the dancer's head. In the other, the arms are extended to the sides with the elbows slightly bent.

These positions may be combined to give other positions.

Different schools, such as Vaganova, French, and Cecchetti, Russian often use different names

for similar arm positions. The Russian school names three arm positions while the other schools

name five.

Bras bas ('arms low') (RAD)/bras au repos ('at rest') (French), preparatory position (Rus.), or

fifth en bas (Cecc.) holds the arms low and slightly rounded near the hip.

First position holds the arms round or oval in front of the body somewhere between the naval

and breastbone (depending on the school and movement), the fingertips of the hands

approaching each other. In Cecchetti, the hands stay a little lower at tutu height.

Second position in all schools holds the arms extended out to the side, the inner part of the

upper arm parallel to the ground with the forearms and palms facing the audience. The

roundness and shoulder height of the arms varies by school.

Third position in the French/RAD schools holds one arm in second with the other arm in first.

The Russian equivalent of this may be petit bras.

Third position in Cecchetti holds one arm in a Cecchetti first and the other arm in demi-

seconde.

Third position in the Russian school holds both arms slightly rounded overhead. This is

equivalent to fifth position (en haut) in other schools.

Fourth position or fourth ouvert ('open') consists of one arm en haut ('high,' i.e. raised

overhead) and the other open to second position. This is called fourth en haut in Cecchetti.

The Russian school does not designate a fourth position; the Russian equivalent may

be grand bras.

Fourth position croisé ('crossed') or Spanish fourth in Cecchetti consists of one arm en

haut and the other held in first position/Cecchetti fifth en avant.

Fifth position in the French/RAD schools and fifth en haut in Cecchetti holds the arms en

haut slightly rounded, fingertips approaching each other. This is called third position in the

Russian school, which does not designate a fifth (or fourth) position. Cecchetti also

recognizes a fifth en bas, the preparatory/bras bas position in other schools, and afifth en

avant, arms rounded between naval/chest height, known as first position in other schools.

Additionally:

Demi-bras ('half arms') holds the arms between first and second position, outstretched with

palms presented towards the audience.

Demi-seconde ('half second') holds the arms low out to the side as if grazing the tutu, palms

generally down.

Positions of the body

There are eight to eleven positions of the body in ballet, eight in Cecchetti and RAD and ten or

eleven in the Russian and French schools. The general positions are croisé, à la

quatrième, effacé, à la seconde, écarté, and épaulé. Cecchetti and RAD's eight include croisé

devant, à la quatrième devant, effacé (devant), à la seconde, croisé derrière, écarté,

épaulé, and à la quatrième derrière. The Russian school further

divides effacé and épaulé into effacé devant, effacé derrière, épaulé devant, and épaulé derrière,

and the Russian arm positions on croisé derrière are the converse of Cecchetti/RAD's. In

addition, the French school further divides écarté into écarté devant and écarté derrière.

Positions of the feet

The standard, basic placements of feet on the floor. Modern-day classical ballet employs five

positions, known as the first position, second position, third position, fourth position, and fifth

position.

Pulling Up

Pulling up is critical to the simple act of rising up on balance and involves the use of the entire

body. The feeling of being simultaneously grounded and "pulled up" is necessary for many steps

in ballet. To pull up, a dancer must lift the ribcage and sternum but keep the shoulders down,

relaxed and centered over the hips, which requires use of the abdominal muscles. In addition,

the dancer must stabilize the pelvis, maintaining a neutral position, and keep the back straight to

avoid arching and going off balance.

Q Quatre

Four of something, as in pas de quatre (a dance by four dancers).

Quatrième

Meaning 'fourth'.

R Renversé

An attitude presented on a turn.[8]

Relevé

Relevé in second position

'Raised, lifted.' Rising onto the balls (demi-pointe) or toes (pointe) of one or both feet. See

also élevé.

Relevé lent

Lifted slowly.' Abbreviation of battement relevé lent. Term from the Russian school indicating

raising the leg slowly from pointe tendue to 45 degrees or higher off the ground. Contrasts

with (battement) tendu jeté, aka dégagé, in which the leg brushes out propulsively from a position

through tendu to elevated off the ground, and (temps) développé, in which the leg passes

through retiré (or petit retiré) to à la hauteur or demi-hauteur, i.e. elevated off the ground.

Retiré

Working leg in retiré devant

A position of the working leg in which the leg is raised turned out and bent at the knee to the side

so that the toe is located directly in front of or behind the supporting knee. This is commonly used

in pirouettes and as an intermediate position in other movements such asdéveloppé front.

Revoltade

A bravura jump in which one lands on the leg from which one pushes off after that leg travels

around the other leg lifted to 90 degrees.

Rond de jambe

Meaning 'leg circle.' Half-circle made by the pointed foot, from fourth front or back through

second position to the opposite fourth and returning through first position again to repeat, in

effect tracing out the letter "D." Starting front going back is called rond de jambe en dehors while

starting back and going front is calledrond de jambe en dedans.

Rond de jambe à terre/par terre: ('on the ground.') The extended leg with pointed toe

remains on the ground to sweep around in a semi-circle.

Rond de jambe attitude: the leg is swung around from front to side and into attitude position

behind as the supporting foot goes en pointe. (See also attitude.)

Rond de jambe en l'air: ('in the air.') The leg is lifted and sustained to the side (à la

seconde), with movement being limited to below the knee. If the thigh is held at 90 degrees

from the body, the toe draws a circle approximately between the knee of the supporting leg

and second position in the air. If the thigh is held lower (e.g. 45 degrees), the circle is drawn

to the calf of the supporting leg. This is commonly done in singles, doubles, and/or sauté.

Grand rond de jambe (en l'air): the leg is extended and sustained at grand

battement height to draw a semi-circle in the air.

Demi-grand rond de jambe (en l'air): the leg is extended and sustained off the ground

while moving from fourth devant or derrière to second or vice versa, thus drawing only half of

the full semi-circle.[9]

Royale

Another name for changement battu. A changement with a beating of the legs preceding the foot

change. Example: with the right foot in front in fifth position, plié, jump, beat the right thigh

against the left (back thigh) and continue with a changement moving the right leg to behind the

left, landing fifth position left foot front.

S Sauté

Literally 'jumped.' Used to indicate a step executed jumping, e.g. sauté arabesque is

an arabesque performed while jumping on the supporting leg.

Saut de chat

In RAD and American ballet, saut de chat refers to a jump similar to a grande jété differing in that

the front leg extends through a développé instead of a grand battement. This is called a grande

jété développé in other schools.

In the French and Cecchetti schools, saut de chat refers to what RAD/ABT call a pas de chat.

Second position (feet)

Legs turned out with feet pointing in opposite directions and heels at least shoulder-width apart.

Sickle

A term that refers to the reverse of a winging, indicating a foot where the heel is too far back so

the toes are in front of the ankle and heel, breaking the line of the leg at the ankle. If a dancer

sickles an en pointe or demi-pointe foot, the ankle could collapse to the outside, resulting in a

sprain. A working foot should be straight to the side and mildly winged to the front or back.

Sissonne

Sissones

A jump done from two feet to one foot. Named after the originator of the step. In a sissonne

over (dessus) the back foot closes in front, and in a sissonne under (dessous) the front foot

closes behind. Sissonnes finishing on two feet include the sissonne fermée, sissonne tombée,

and sissonne fondue.

Soubresaut

A sudden spring or small jump from both feet, traveling forward in either first, third, or fifth

position and landing on both feet in the same position as they started.

Sous-sus

Literally 'under-over.' A relevé, or rise, into a tight fifth position, feet touching and ankles crossed,

giving the appearance of one foot with two heels. A term from the Cecchetti school, sus-

sous ('over-under') is the equivalent term in the French and Russian schools.[10]

Soutenu en tournant

'Sustained.' Similar to tours chaînés (déboulés), a soutenu turn is a turn usually done in multiples

in quick succession. The dancer first executes a demi-plié while extending the leading leg

in tendu, stepping onto that leg en pointe/demi-pointe (making it the standing leg), then bringing

the other leg to 5th position in front of the standing leg and finally turning (effectively, an

unwinding motion). At the end of the rotation, the originally crossed-over foot in front should now

be in 5th position behind.

Common abbreviation of assemblé soutenu en tournant (Cecc.). This is known as a glissade en

tourant in the Russian school.

When done at the barre en demi-pointe to switch sides, only half a turn is done instead of a full

turn, and the foot does not extend out into tendu. Differs from a détourné in that there is a

repositioning of the feet on finishing (and a crossing action, if not initiated in 5th) vs. just a pivot

to half turn.

Split

A configuration of the legs in which the legs are extended in opposite directions, either to the side

(straddle split) or with one leg forward and the other back (front split). This is employed in various

movements, including grand jeté and arabesque penchée.

Sur le cou-de-pied

literally 'on the neck of the foot.' The arched working foot is placed wrapped at the part of the leg

between the base of the calf and the beginning of the ankle. On the accent devant (front), the

heel of the working foot is placed in front of the leg, while the toes point to the back, allowing the

instep (cou-de-pied in French) of the working foot to hug the lower leg. On the accent derrière

(back), the heel of the working leg is placed behind the leg with the toes pointing to the back. The

action of alternating between devant and derrière is seen in a petit battement.

T Tendu

Tendu in first position

Literally 'stretched.' Gradually extending the working leg to the front (tendu devant), side, or back,

passing from flat to demi-pointe to point where only the toes are touching the floor (tendu à

terre), or only the pointed toes are elevated (en l'air). A common abbreviation for battement

tendu.

Temps levé

Literally 'time raised.') A term from the Cecchetti school indicating a hop on one foot while the

other is raised in any position. The instep is fully arched when leaving the ground and the spring

must come from the pointing of the toe and the extension of the leg after the demi-plié.

In the Cecchetti method, the specifically indicates a spring from fifth position while raising one

foot to sur le cou-de-pied. In the Russian and French schools, this is known assissonne simple.

Temps levé sauté

Literally 'time raised jumped.') A term from the Russian school. This can be executed with both

feet from first, second, third, fourth, or fifth position starting with a demi-plié, leading to a jump in

the air that lands with the feet in the same position as they started. (Otherwise known as simply

a saut or sauté.) This can also be performed from one foot, while the other maintains the same

position it had before starting the jump (i.e. the same as temps levé).

Temps lié

'time linked.' A term indicating the transfer of weight from one leg to another by shifting through to

the position without any sort of gliding or sliding movement.

Tours en l'air

Literally 'turn in the air.' A jump, typically done by males, with a full rotation in the air. The landing

can be on both feet, on one leg with the other extended in attitude or arabesque, or down on one

knee as at the end of a variation. A single tour is a 360° rotation, a double is 720°. Vaslav

Nijinsky was known to perform tripletours en l'air.

Tombé

Literally 'fallen.' The action of falling, typically used as a lead-in movement to a traveling step,

e.g. pas de bourrée. A tombé en avant begins with a coupéto the front moving to a dégagé to

fourth position devant, the extended foot coming down to the floor with the leg en plié, shifting the

weight of the body onto the front leg and lifting the back leg off the floor in dégagé (to fourth

derrière). A tombé through second starts with a dégagé of the leading leg to second position, the

leading foot coming to the floor with the leg in plié, and the trailing leg lifting off the floor in

dégagé to (the opposite-side) second position. A tombé en avant can also be initiated with a

small sliding hop instead of a coupé.

In the Vaganova school, the full term is sissonne ouverte tombée.

Triple Runs

One big step, followed by two little steps, that can be done in a circle.

Turnout

Turnout in first position of the feet

Rotation of the legs at the hips, resulting in knees and feet facing away from each other.

Tutu

A classic ballet skirt, typically flat at the waist or hip level, made of several layers of tulle or

tarlatan.

U

V Variation

A solo dance.

Waltz

A sequence of steps performed in sync with waltz music, as in pas de waltz en tournant.