Dance and Theatre Terms

Corps de ballet

Members of a dance company who dance together as a group.

Barre

A stationary handrail used for support of dancers in warm-ups and training.

Ballerina

A principal female dancer.

Demi

Half, as in demi-pointe.

Jeté

A jump or leap.

Pas

A dance or series (suite) of dances.

Pas de deux

A dance duet often performed by a female and male dancer.

Pirouette

A turn on one leg that does 'travel'.

Plié

A bending of the knees with an upright body.

Pointe

Movement on the tips of toes in pointe shoes.

Relévé

Rising on the balls or toes of either one or both feet.

Turnout

Rotation of the leg causing the knee and foot to turn outward, a classical ballet technique.

Tutu

A classic ballet skirt.

Types of Dance Styles

Includes Ballet, Jazz, Modern, Ballroom, Tap, Folk Dance, African, Latin, Swing, Indian, Dancehall, Freestyle, Street, Breakdancing, Stomp, Disco, Physically Integrated Dance, and Hip-Hop.

Actors Equity Association

The live theatre actor's union.

Arena Stage

A stage with seating on all four sides.

Black Box

A type of theater surrounded by black curtains where the audience and actors are in the same room.

Blocking

The process of rehearsing where actors should move on stage to ensure sight lines and dramatic effects.

Booking

Refers to being hired for a job, usually for on-camera work.

Booth

The area in the theatre with light and sound boards, usually located in the back of the theatre.

Broadway

Commercial and professional theatres of 500 or more seats in the theatre district of midtown Manhattan.

Counterweight Rigging System

A mechanical system for flying scenery with lines from a rigging batten running to pulleys and counterweight.

Downstage

The front of the stage, towards the audience.

Fire Curtain

A fire-resistant curtain that isolates the stagehouse from the audience in case of a fire.

Fringe Theatre

Theatres that present stage productions that are experimental in terms of subject matter or style.

Greenroom

The actors' lounge in a theatre or production studio.

House

The area of the theatre where the audience sits.

Legs

Masking curtains hung vertically that define the sides of the performing area.

Load-in

The process of bringing the set into the theatre or building set pieces.

League of Regional Theatres (LORT)

Nonprofit theatres that pay theatre artists wages.

Main Stage

The primary stage in a theatre where main productions are performed.

Off-Broadway

Professional theatres with a seating capacity between 100-499 in New York City.

Papering the House

Giving away free tickets to fill seats for specific performances.

Properties

Furniture, set decor, and small items used onstage, also known as 'props'.

Proscenium

The arch that frames the front of a stage.

Regional Theatre

Professional or semi-professional theatres located outside of New York City.

Repertory Theatre

A resident theatre that presents works from a specific repertoire.

Running Crew

Stagehands who work during a performance.

Sightlines

The analysis of an audience's view of the performing area.

Spike

Marking the stage with tape to show where furniture and props should be placed.

Stage Management

Managing and coordinating the execution of a stage production.

Stock Theatre

A resident theatre that presents specific repertoire works.

Strike

The process of taking apart the set and cleaning up after the final performance.

Summer Stock Theatre

Theatres that present productions during the summer only

Thrust Stage

A stage that projects into the auditorium with seating on three sides.

Upstage

The rear of the stage, away from the audience.

VOM

Abbreviation for 'vomitorium,' an exit/entrance to/from the stage.

Wings

The areas of the stage to the sides of the acting area, typically out of view.

Worklights

Lights used for general illumination of the stage when not in performance.