Ballet terms

adagio

a music term used for slow, sustained movements. This portion of ballet class may encompass high developpes above 90 or partnering work.

allegro

Rapid tempo movements, often includes jumping steps.

arabesque

the gesture leg is extended behind the dancers body at 90 or higher, which requires hip and spine hyperextension, knee extension, and ankle-foot plantarflexion

arriere, en

to the back

assemble

to assemble or place the feet together in the air during a jump

attitude

the hip of the gesture leg is at 90, the knee is bent, and the foot is pointed.

avant, en

to the front

balanchine

founder, director, and principle choreographer of the new york city ballet. trained in the russian school, he developed a neo-classical technique known for rapid footwork and abstract choreography

ballon

the quality of lightness, ease in jumping

ballotte

tossed, a light, rocking quality jump sequence

barre

the introductory/warm up portion of the ballet class, conducted while holding onto a ballet bar. the dancer always starts with the left hand at the bar, working the right gesture leg

beats

to hit the legs togetther, moving in and out of fifth position in the air

bourree

a step performed on pointe from fifth, initiated with the front foot, there is a rapid weight shift from one foot to the other, performed in place or travelling

brise

a jumping beat which allows the dancer to travel in a specified direction

cabriole

“caper like a goat”, a jump where one leg is kicked up into the air and the supporting leg pushes off and beats underneath the gesture leg, propelling it higher

cambre

a bend of the body from the waist to the front, back, or side, with an accompanying port de bras

cecchetti method

a school or style of ballet emphasizing seven basic movements in dance: plier, etndre, relever, glisser, sauter, elancer, tourner. used by italian and royal english ballets

center floor

the second portion of ballet class, comprised of the adagio, turns, and small jumps

chaines

“linked like a chain”. a series of small turning steps with the feeet in the first position releve.

changement

“changing the feet”

chasse

“chasing one foot with the other”

cou-de-pied

a unilateral standing posture with the pointed gesture foot held in front of, back of, or wrapped around the ankle of the stance leg

coupe

“to cut”, a small intermediary step, used as a link between steps

croix, en

“cross” unilateral leg gesture carried out in three directions relative to the dancers front side, and back, making the shape of a cross

dedans, en

inward. a circular movement of the gesture limb from the back to the front

degage

“to disengage”

dehors, en

outward

demi

half, as in demi plie

derrierre

behind

devant

in front

developpe

a large, relatively slow leg gesture. the gesture limb begins first from fifth or first, passes through passe, to extend at 90

eleve

to rise upward onto the toes

echappe

“escape”

envelope

a unilateral leg moveent in which the gesture lib begins in a knee extended position away from the body and folds back into the body

epaulement

position of the shoulders in relation to the heaed and leegs

fifth

the legs are externally rotated, one foot is crossed in front of the other

first

the legs are externally rotated and the heels are together

fondu

“Melted”

fouette

a “whipping” en dehors turn, in releve, requiring coordinated developpe devant, whipping the gesture leg to second, and returing it to passe

fourth

externally rotated, one foot is crossed in front of the other but seperated

frappe

beginning from cou-de-pied position, a rapid striking ricochet of the gesture foot, ending in a pointed position

glissade

“slide or glide”

grand

large

grand battement

a large swift leg kick

grand rond de jambe en l’aire

a unilateral, circumducted hip action where the gesturing limb describees a semi-circle in space at more than 90 of hip flexion

jete

“throwing step”

l’aire

in the air

pas

step

pas de basque

a traveling step from fifth position plie, which includes one ½ ronde de jambe from front to side, weight transfeer to this leg, and closure into fifth plie

pas de bourree

a basic linking step which permits a change from one fifth to another

pas de chat

step of the cat

penche

inclined

petite

small, little

petite batterie

“beats

pique

“pricked”

piroutte

whirl or spin

plie

a bend of the knees while the torso is held upright

pointe en

on pointe

port de bras

carriage of the arms

port de cors

carriage of the body

promenade

a slow pivot of the body while standing on one leg

releve

a rise or spring onto the toes from plie

retire

a static position in which the hip of thee gesturing leg is externally rotated and abducted, the knee is flexed, and the foot is pointed and touching the knee of the stance limb

reverence

“bow”

ronde de jambe

a unilateral leg movement in which the gesture leg is circled from front to back of the dancers body, or vice versa

saute

a simple jump in vertical direction

seconde, la

to the side

second position

legs are externallyrotated and seperated by. the distance of one foot

sissone

jump from two feet to one

soussus

springing into fifth position releve en pointe or demi pointe from demi plie

soutenu

from demu plie onto the stance leg and pointe tondu with the gesture leg. rising to demi pointe while simultaneously drawing the gesture leg into fifth

tendu

a stretched action of the gesturing limb from a stance position with flat foot to a pointed foot, with the toes keeping contact with the floor

terre, a

on the ground

third position

the legs are externally rotated, and one heel is placed in front of the other

tour

turn of the body

tour en l’aire.

“turns in the air”

tour jete

a jete which incorporates an angular rotation of the body and switching of the legs in middair

tourant, en

turning