Ballet Terms

demi plie

half or small bend at the knees

grand plie

big bend at the knees

tendu

to stretch

degage

to disengage

releve

to rise from plie

en croix

in a cross (front, side, back, side)

port de cras

carriage of the arms

passe

to pass, at the knee

coupe

to cut, at the ankle

rond de jambe

circle of the leg

grand battement

big beat, kick

reverence

curtsey or bow performed at the end of class

sus-sous

closing of the feet in 5th position in releve

combre

arched, body bent from the waist

allegro

fast center combination

soute

to jump

echappe

to escape

changement

to change

glissade

to glide

adagio

slow center combination

balance

balance, 3 step movement like a waltz

arabesque

position making a 90 degree angle with legs where one leg is extended back and the opposite leg is straight to the ground

pique

to prick

developpe

to develop

assemble

to assemble

tambe

to fall

chasse

to chase

pas de chat

step of the cat

pirouette

to whirl, a turn

en dedans

inwards

en dehors

outwards

grand jete

big throw, leap

chaine turn

chained/linked

fouette saute

jump in the air with a single leg to the front, then quickly change body (whipping around) direction to the opposite side and roatting the leg into a an arabesque before landing

sissonne

scissor like

soutenu

sustained, turn in sus-sous

tour jete

a jump starting with a battement, turn body and end in arabesque