Dance Terminology: Ballet Positions, Movements, and Steps

À terre

On the ground

allegro

Brisk, lively movement such as jeté, entrechat, assemblé. The majority of dances are built on this.

Attitude

a pose derived by Carlo Blasis from the statue of Mercury by Giovanni da Bologna. A position on one leg with the other lifted with the knee bent at an angle of 90 degrees and well turned out.

Ballon

Bounce. It is a light, elastic quality in jumping in which the dancer bounds up from the floor, pauses a moment in the air and descends lightly and softly only to rebound in the air like a bouncing ball.

ballonné

ball-like or bouncing step.

ballotté

Tossed or to toss about, suggesting a lightness in the step

Battu

Beaten. Any step embellished with a beat is called this. For example - assemblé _________.

brisé

Broken, breaking. A small beating step in which the movement is broken. Fundamentally, it is an assemblé beaten and travelled.

cabriole

Caper. An allegro step in which the extended legs are beaten in the air. Can be petit or grande. The working leg is thrust into the air, the underneath leg follows and beats against the first leg, sending it higher.

Élancé

To dart.

En quarré

In the shape of a square. Steps, or exercises executed in square formations (not to be confused with en croix - in the shape of a cross)

En tournant

turning. Indicates that the body is to turn while executing a given step - example: assemblé ______________.

Enchainement

Linking. A combination of two or more steps arranged to fit a phrase of music.

entrechat

to braid or interlace. Small jumps with rapid crossings of the legs. Each crossing is considered two movements, one by each leg.

Failli

Giving way. A fleeting movement done on one count.

pas de papillon

butterfly step, same as a jeté passé.

Penché

leaning, inclining.

Porté

Carried. A step which is traveled in the air from one spot to another.

Posé

Poised. The dancer steps from one foot to the other with a petit développé onto the pointe in any direction.

Promenade

to walk. A dancer may be en _____________ - in a walk, or they may tour de _______________ - turn in a walk.

Relevé lent

Slow raising.

retombé

Falling back. To fall back again to the original position.

Royale

Royal. A changement in which the calves are beaten together before the feet change position. Also called changement battu.

Saut de basque

A Basque jump. A traveling step in which the dancer turns in the air with one foot drawn up to the knee of the other leg.

Saut de flèche

Arrow jump.

Sautillé

Hopped or hopping. When this term is added to the name of a step, the movement is performed with hops.

Sissonne tombé

A connecting step, A jump from two feet to one and a fall forward, sideways or backwards.

Soutenu

Sustained. Can apply to any dance step - example: assemblé ____________.

Temps levé

Time raised, or raising movement. A hop on one foot while the other is raised in any position.

Volé

Flying.

Retiré

Withdrawn. A position in which the thigh is raised to the second position en l'air with the knee bent so that the pointed toe rests in front of, behind or to the side of the supporting knee.

Hauteur

To the height. A position in which the working leg is raised at right angles to the hip.

Dessus

Over. The working foot passes in front of the supporting foot.

Dessous

Under. The working foot passes behind the supporting foot.

Devant

In front.

Derrière

Behind, in back.

En avant

Forward. A direction for the execution of a step moving toward the audience.

En arrière

Backward. A step executed moving away from the audience.

Développé

a developing movement.

Battement frappé double

double beating struck. The foot beats two times, once devant and once derrière before striking.

Grand rond de jambe à terre

a large round of the leg on the ground while the supporting leg is bent (fondu)

En dehors

Outward

En dedans

Inward

Pas de cheval

Horse's step. This step resembles a horse pawing at the ground.

Épaulement

Shouldering. The placing of the shoulders. A term used to indicate a movement of the torso from the waist upward, bringing one shoulder forward and the other back with the head turned or inclined over the forward shoulder.

Croisé

Crossed. One of the basic positions of the body.

Écarté

separated, thrown wide apart. One of the basic positions of the body.

Effacé

Shaded. One of the basic positions of the body.

Épaulé

Shouldered. One of the basic positions of the body.

À la quatrième devant

To the forth position front. One of the basic positions of the body.

À la quatrième derrière

To the forth position back. One of the basic positions of the body.

À la seconde

To the second. One of the basic positions of the body.

Temps lié

Connected movement. It teaches control and balance in transmitting the weight of the body from one position to another with a smooth, rhythmical moement.

Corps et bras

Similar to port de bras, but an older term that has the spine, chest, shoulders and head coordinated with the movements of the arms.

Allongée

extended, outstretched.

Détourné d'adage

Combining elements of promenade and rotation. It is a pivot on one foot in which the body turns to face the leg which was behind.

Fouetté

Whipped.

Contretemps

beating against time.

Emboité

Fitted together, boxed. It is a type of jeté done without the brush of the working foot.

Glissade précipitée

gliding hurried. A very quick glissade at least half the size of a normal glissade.

Demi-contretemps

Half-counterbeating. Mostly used as a preparatory step.

Sissonne

Named for the originator of the step, it is a jump from both feet onto one foot.

Pas seul

Solo dance.

Corps de ballet

The dancers in a ballet who do not appear as soloists.

À plat

On the flat. The entire sole of the foot rests flat on the floor.

Exercices au milieu

Exercises in the center. Center work helps the dancer acquire uprightness and balance.

What level of dancer is the textbook designed for?

Intermediate

What are the three main functions for barre work?

1. Warm up the Body

2. Strengthen the Body

3. Develop Stamina

What are the four E's explained in the textbook?

1. Equilibrium

2. Extension

3. Elevation

4. Endurance

What are the four phases of each turn?

1. The preparation

2. The initiative or action leading into the turn

3. The turn itself

4. The completion

Temps de cuisse

cuisse means "thigh"; a form of sissonne that is preceded by a retire which closes quickly to fifth position demi-plie in preparation for the sissonne. Usually travels side-to-side but can move forward or backwards

What are the 4 attributes of movement

1. rhythm

2. shape

3. space

4. dynamics

sissonne changee

sissonne with a change of feet in the air before landing

sissonne passee

a step resembling releve passe, but with a spring into the air replacing the releve

Grand Jete

a large leap usually done forward following the preparatory step of some kind. Begins from a strong fondue on the front leg that then will help propel the body both upward and forward into the air as the other leg brushed forward in grand battement.