Ballet Terminology: Key Words and Definitions for Dance Students

ADAGE (ADAGIO)

DAHZH] - Adage is a French word derived from the Italian adagio, meaning at ease or leisure. A series of exercises following the centre practice consisting of a succession of slow and graceful movement which may be simple or of the most complex character, performed with fluidity and apparent ease.

ALLÉGRO

lay-GROH] - Brisk, lively. A term applied to all bright and brisk movements. All steps of elevation (jumps) come under this classification. The most important qualities to aim at in allégro are lightness, smoothness and ballon.

ALLONGÉ, ALLONGÉE

lawn-ZHAY] - Extended, outstretched. Usually in reference to an arm or a leg.

APLOMB

PLAWN] - Assurance, poise. This term applied to the dancer means that he or she has full control of body and limbs with the weight correctly centered during a movement.

ARABESQUE

ra-BESK] - One of the basic poses in ballet. It is a position supported on one leg, with the other leg extended behind and at right angles to it, with the shoulders always held square to the line of direction, and the arms held in various harmonious positions creating the longest possible line from the fingertips to the toes.

ARRIÈRE, EN

RYEHR] - Backward. A term used to indicate that a given step is executed moving backward, away from the audience.

ASSEMBLÉ

sahn-BLAY] - Assembled or joined together. A step in which the working foot slides well along the ground before being swept into the air. As the foot goes into the air the dancer pushes off the floor with the supporting leg, extending the toes. Both legs come to the ground simultaneously in the fifth position.

ATTITUDE

tee-TEWD] - A particular pose in dancing. It is a position on one leg with the other lifted in back, the knee bent at an angle of 90 degrees and well turned out so that the knee is higher than the foot.

AVANT, EN

VAHN] - Forward. A term used to indicate that a given step is executed moving forward, toward the audience.

BALANCÉ

lahn-SAY] - Rocking step. This step is very much like a pas de valse and is an alternation of balance, shifting the weight from one foot to another. Balancé may be done crossing the foot either front or back.

BALANCÉ EN TOURNANT

lahn-SAY ahn toor-NAHN] - Balancé, turning. The turn may be done with quarter or half-turns.

BALANÇOIRE, EN

lahn-SWAHR] - Like a seesaw. This term is applied to an exercise with a series of battements tendus jetés or grands battements executed with a continuous swinging motion through the first position to the fourth position front and back.

BALLON

LAWN] - Bounce. Ballon is the 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 the smooth bouncing of a ball.

PAS BALLONNÉ

law-NAY] - Ball-like or bouncing step. A step in which the dancer springs into the air extending one leg to the front, side or back and lands with the extended leg either sur le cou-de-pied or retiré.

BALLOTTÉ

law-TAY] - Tossed. This step consists of a coupé dessous and coupé dessus performed in a series with a rocking, swinging movement.

EN BAS

Low. As in a low position of the arms.

BATTEMENT

MAHN] - Beating. A beating action of the extended or bent leg, as in grands battements and petits battements. The petits battements are battements tendus, dégagés, frappés, and tendus doubles.

GRAND BATTEMENT

MAHN] - Large battement. An exercise in which the working leg is raised from the hip into the air and brought down again, both knees straight.

PETIT BATTEMENT

TEE bat-MAHN] - Small battement. A term for any small beating action of the foot or leg. The term petit battement is probably most commonly used to describe an exercise at the bar in which the working foot is held sur le cou-de-pied and the lower part of the leg moves out and in, changing the foot from sur le cou-de-pied devant to sur le cou-de-pied derrière and vice versa.

BATTEMENT PIQUÉ, PETIT

TEE bat-MAHN pee-KAY] - Little pricked battement. Same as battement tendu jeté pointé.

BATTERIE

REE] - The French technical term for beaten steps. A collective term meaning the entire vocabulary of beats, which are any movement in which the legs beat together or one leg beats against the other, the actual beating being done with the calves.

BATTU

TEW] - Beaten. Any step embellished with a beat is called pas battu. As, for example, in assemblé battu.

BRISÉ

ZAY] - Broken, breaking. A small beating step in which the movement is broken. Fundamentally a brisé is an assemblé beaten and traveled.

BRISÉ VOLÉ

ZAY vaw-LAY] - Flying brisé. In this brisé the dancer finishes on one foot after the beat, the other leg crossed either front or back.

CABRIOLE

bree-AWL] - 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.

CAMBRÉ

BRAY] - Arched. The body is bent from the waist, backward or sideways, the head following the movement of the body.

CHAÎNÉS

NAY] - Chains, links. This is an abbreviation of the term "tours chaînès déboulés" (a chain of turns, rolling like a ball): a series of turns done on the points or demi-pointes , making a half-turn on each foot with the feet close together, and traveling in a straight line or a circle. The turns should be done evenly and with great speed, aided by small movements of the arms and the spotting of the head.

CHANGÉ

ZHAY] - Changed. If the term changé is added to the name of a step, the feet have changed places during the step and the foot originally in front will have finished in the back or vice versa.

CHANGEMENT

MAHN] - Change of feet. Changements are springing steps in the fifth position, the dancer changing feet in the air and alighting in the fifth position with the opposite foot in the front.

CHASSÉ

SAY] - Chased. A step in which one foot literally chases the other foot out of its position. Chassés can be done in all directions.

EN CLOCHE

Like a bell. Refers to battements tendus jetés or grands battements executed continuously devant and derrière through the first position.

CONDITIONAL POSITION

A term of the Russian School. It refers to a position sur le coude-pied in which the foot is pointed on the ankle either devant or derrière. See sur le cou-de-pied.

CONTRETEMPS

truh-TAHN] - Beating against time.

SUR LE COU

DE-PIED [sewr luh koo-duh-PYAY] - On the neck of the foot. A position in which the working foot is placed on the part of the standing leg between the base of the calf and the beginning of the ankle. There are three cou-de-pied positions: the wrapped or basic position, and the pointed conditional positions devant and derrière.

COUPÉ

PAY] - Cut, cutting. A small intermediary step done as a preparation or impetus for some other step. It takes its name from the fact that one foot cuts the other away and takes its place.

COUPÉ JETÉ EN TOURNANT

PAY zhuh-TAY ahn toor-NAHN] - A compound step consisting of a coupé dessous making a three-quarter turn and a grand jeté en avant to complete the turn. This step is usually done in a series either en manège or en diagonale.

CORPS DE BALLET

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

CROISÉ

ZHAY] - Crossed. One of the directions of épaulement. In this position the legs appear to be crossed while the body is placed at an oblique angle to the audience, facing either one of the two front corners of the room. In croisé devant, the leg nearer the audience is pointed in the fourth position front à terre or raised to the fourth position en l'air. In croisé derrière, the leg farther from the audience is pointed in the fourth position back à terre or raised to the fourth position en l'air. These positions are included in the eleven basic positions of the body.

EN CROIX

In the shape of a cross. Indicates that an exercise is to be executed to the fourth position front, to the second position and to the fourth position back, or vice versa. As in battements tendus en croix.

DE CÔTÉ

TAY] - Sideways. A term used to indicate that a step is to be made to the side, either to the right or to the left.

EN DEDANS

DAHN] - Inward. Indicates that the leg moves in a circular direction, counterclockwise from back to front (when done with the right leg).

DÉGAGÉ

ga-ZHAY] - Disengaged. A term of the Cecchetti method. Same as battement tendu jeté.

EN DEHORS

AWR] - Outward. Indicates that the leg moves in a circular direction, clockwise (when done with the right leg).

DEMI

MEE] - Half. As in demi-plié, demi-pointe.

DEMI

POINTE. SUR LES [sewr lay duh-mee-PWENT] - On the half-points. Indicates that the dancer is to stand high on the balls of the feet and under-side of the toes.

DERRIÈRE

RYEHR] - Behind, back. This may refer to a movement, step or placing of a limb in back of the body.

DESSOUS

SOO] - Under. Indicates that the working foot passes behind the supporting foot. As for example, in assemblé dessous.

DESSUS

SEW] - Over. Indicates that the working foot passes in front of the supporting foot. As for example, in assemblé dessus.

DÉTOURNÉ

toor-NAY] - Turned aside. A détourné is a pivot turn on both points or demi-pointes. It is a complete turn toward the back foot and reverses the position of the feet.

DEVANT

VAHN] - In front. This may refer to a step, movement or the placing of a limb in front of the body.

BATTEMENT DÉVELOPPÉ

MAHN dayv-law-PAY] - Battement developed. A développé is a movement in which the working leg is drawn up to the retiré position and slowly extended to an open position en l'air and held there with perfect control.

DOUBLE

bluh] - Double. As for example, in pirouette double (a double pirouette). DOUBLÉ, DOUBLÉE [doo-BLAY] - Doubled. As, for example, in sissone doublée.

ÉCARTÉ

kar-TAY] - Separated, thrown wide apart. In this position the dancer faces either one of the two front corners of the room. In écarté devant, the leg nearer to the audience is pointed to the second position à terre or raised to the second position en l'air. In écarté derrière, the leg that is farther from the audience is pointed to the second position à terre or raised to the second position en l'air. These positions are included in the eleven basic positions of the body.

ÉCHAPPÉ

sha-PAY] - Escaping or slipping movement. An échappé is a level opening of both feet from a closed to an open position. There are two kinds of échappés: échappé sauté, and échappé sur les pointes. In each case échappés are done to the second or fourth position, both feet traveling an equal distance from the original center of gravity.

EFFACÉ

fa-SAY] - Shaded. One of the directions of épaulement. The term effacé is used to qualify a pose in which the legs appear open (not crossed). In this position the dancer stands facing either one of the two front corners of the room. In effacé devant, the leg farther from the audience is pointed in the fourth position front à terre or raised to the fourth position en l'air. In effacé derrière, the leg closer to the audience is pointed in the fourth position back à terre or raised to the fourth position en l'air. These positions are included in the eleven basic positions of the body.

EMBOÎTÉ

bwah-TAY] - Fitted together, "boxed". The name is derived from the close fitting of the feet like a lid upon a box. It is a type of jeté done without a brush of the working foot.

ENTRECHAT

truh-SHAH] - Interweaving or braiding. A step of beating in which the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses the legs before and behind each other. Entrechats are counted from two to ten according to the number of crossings required and counting each crossing as two movements, one by each leg. The even numbered entrechats, deux, quatre, six, huit, and dix, are those which land on two feet. The odd numbered entrechats, trois, cinq, sept and neuf, are those which land on one foot.

ENVELOPPÉ

vuh-law-PAY] - Enveloped. A term of the French School.

ÉPAULÉ

poh-LAY] - Shouldered. In the Russian School, this position may be executed devant or derrière. In épaulé devant, the dancer stands facing either one of the frontcorners of the room in an arabesque position, the arm nearer the audience extended forward and the corresponding leg extended to the fourth position back à terre or en l'air (second arabesque). In épaulé derrière, the position is taken exactly the same as épaulé devant, but is taken facing either of the two back corners of the room with the extended leg nearer the audience. These positions are included in the eleven basic positions of the body.

ÉPAULEMENT

pohl-MAHN] - 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. The two fundamental positions of épaulement are croisé and effacé. Épaulement gives the finishing artistic touch to every movement.

EXTENSION

tahn-SYAWN] -Term used to describe the ability of a dancer to raise and hold his or her extended leg en l'air. A dancer is said to have a good extension if, when doing a développé à la seconde, he or she is able to hold and sustain the raised leg above shoulder level.

EN FACE

Opposite (the audience); facing the audience.

FAILLI

YEE] - Giving way. A fleeting movement done on one count.

FERMÉ

MAY] - Closed. Indicates that both feet are in a closed position or that the feet at the end of a step are brought to a closed position.

FLIC- FLAC

A crack, as of a whip. A term of the Russian School. A flicking or lashing movement done in exercises at the bar and in the center of the room. It is composed of whipping movements from second position at 45 degrees through the fifth position front and back (or back and front) close to the supporting leg; then the leg is opened again to the second position at 45 degrees. Flic flac is performed en dedans, en dehors and en tournant.

BATTEMENT FONDU

MAHN fawn-DEW] - Battement sinking down, melting. The lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting leg while the working foot is pointed on the ankle. As the supporting leg is straightened, the working leg unfolds and is extended to point on the floor or in the air. Battement fondu is done in all directions.

FOUETTÉ

TAY] - Whipped. A term applied to a whipping movement. The movement may be a short whipped movement of the raised foot as it passes rapidly in front of or behind the supporting foot (as in flic-flac), or the sharp whipping around of the body from one direction to another.

GRAND FOUETTÉ EN TOURNANT

TAH ahn-toor-NAHN] - Large fouetté, turning. This fouetté may be done on demi-pointe, on point or with a jump. It is usually done en dedans and may be finished in attitude croisée, attitude effacé or any of the arabesques.

FOUETTÉ ROND DE JAMBE EN TOURNANT

TAY rawn duh zhahnb ahn toor-NAHN] - Whipped circle of the leg turning. This is the popular turn, commonly called simply fouettés, in which the dancer executes a series of turns on the supporting leg while being propelled by a whipping movement of the working leg. The whipping leg should be at hip level, with the foot closing in to the knee of the supporting leg. Fouettés are usually done in a series. They may be executed en dehors or en dedans.

FOUETTÉ SAUTÉ, GRAND

TAY soh-TAY] - Large fouetté, jumping. This fouetté is performed with a temps levé on the supporting foot instead of a relevé. There are numerous kinds of grands fouettés sautés. The step is usually preceded by a glissade, sissone simple, faille, etc.

FRAPPÉ

PAY] - Struck. An exercise in which the dancer forcefully extends the working leg from a cou-de-pied position to the front, side or back. It is the basis of the allégro step, the jeté

GARGOUILLADE

goo-YAD] - Gurgling or rumbling. In the Cecchetti method and the French School the step resembles a pas de chat with a double rond de jambe, actually a rond de jambe and a half with commencing leg. A brilliant executant will also do a double rond de jambe with the closing leg.

GLISSADE

SAD] - Glide. A traveling step executed by gliding the working foot from the fifth position in the required direction, the other foot closing to it. Glissade is a terre à terre step and is used to link other steps. When a glissade is used as an auxiliary step for small or big jumps, it is done with a quick movement on the upbeat. Glissades are done with or without a change of the feet, and all begin and end with a demi plie. There are six glissades: devant, derrière, dessous, dessus, en avant, en arrière, the difference between them depending on the starting and finishing positions as well as the direction.

GRAND, GRANDE

Big, large. As in grand plié, grand battement.

EN HAUT

High. Used to indicate a high position of the arms.

JETÉ

TAY] - Throwing step, meaning "to throw". A jump from one foot to the other in which the working leg is brushed into the air and appears to have been thrown. There is a wide variety of jetés and they may be performed in all directions.

JETÉ BATTU [zhuh

TAY ba-TEW] - Jeté beaten.

JETÉ EN TOURNANT, GRAND [grahn zhuh

TAY ahn toor-NAHN] - Large jeté, turning. A term of the French and Russian Schools.

JETÉ, GRAND [grahn zhuh

TAY] - Large jeté. In this step the legs are thrown to 90 degrees with a corresponding high jump. The dancer tries to remain in the air in a definitely expressed attitude or arabesque and descends to the ground in the same pose. It is done forward to attitude croisée or effacé, and to all the arabesques. It may also be done backward with the leg raised either croisé or effacé devant. Grand jeté is always preceded by a preliminary movement such as a glissade, pas couru or coupé. It is important to start the jump with a springy plié and finish it with a soft and controlled plié.

EN L'AIR [ahn lehr] -

In the air. Indicates that a movement is to be made in the air; for example,rond de jambe en l'air.

EN MANÈGE[ahn ma

NEZH] - As at a riding school or in a circus ring. A term of the French School. Indicates that the dancer is to travel around the room in a circle while performing a combination of steps or turns.

MAZURKA -

A Polish folk dance in 3⁄4 time, which has been introduced into a number of ballets as a character dance.

OUVERT [oo

VEHR, oo-VEHRT] - Open, opened. This may refer to positions (such as the second and fourth positions where the feet are in an open position), limbs, directions, or certain exercises or steps.

PAS COURU [pah koo

REW] - Running step. Pas couru is a run in any direction and is composed of three or five running steps on the demi-pointes to gain momentum for such steps as grand jeté en avant. The demi-plié at the end of the pas couru is emphasized, followed by the step for which it serves as a springboard. The term is also used for a run on point in an unturned out first position.

PAS DE BASQUE [pah duh bask] -

Basque step. A characteristic step of the national dances of the Basques that has been adapted to ballet use. There are two types of pas de basque; pas de basque glissé, which is done close to the floor, and pas de basque sauté, which is jumped. The step is performed en avant, en arrière and en tournant.

PAS DE BOURRÉE [pah duh boo

RAY] - Bourrée step. The full name of this step is pas de bourrée changé sur les pointes, meaning pas de bourrée, changing, on the toes. A series of quick little steps in place on the points or demi-pointes. This step is done alternating sides as rapidly as possible and remaining in place.

PAS DE CHAT [pah duh shah] -

Cat's step. This step owes its name to the likeness of the movement to a cat's leap.

PAS DE CHEVAL [pah duh shuh

VAL] - Horse's step. This step is so-called because it resembles the movement of a horse pawing the ground. The step may also be performed with a hop on the supporting foot as the working leg performs the développé and points on the floor. It is usually performed in a series on alternating feet on the points or demi-pointes.

PAS DE DEUX [pah duh duh] - Dance for two.

PAS DE POLKA [pah duh pawl

KA] - Polka step.

PAS DE TROIS [pah duh trwah] -

A dance for three. Similarly, a pas de quatre is a dance for four people; a pas de cinq is a dance for five people; etc.

PAS DE VALSE [pah duh valss] -

Waltz step. Done with a graceful swaying of the body with various arm movements. The step is like a balancé, but the feet do not cross.

PASSÉ [pa

SAY] - Passed. This is an auxiliary movement in which the foot of the working leg passes the knee of the supporting leg from one position to the other, or one leg passes the other in the air, or one foot is picked up and passes in back or in front of the supporting leg.

PASSÉ PAR TERRE [pa

SAY par tehr] - Passed on the ground. A movement in which the foot of the working leg is passed from the position pointe tendu devant, through first position of the feet, to the position pointe tendu derrière, or vice versa.

PENCHÉ, PENCHÉE [pahn

SHAY] - Leaning, inclining. As, for example, in arabesque penchée. PETIT / PETITE [puh-TEE / puh-TEET] - Little, small. As, for example, in petit battement.

PIQUÉ [pee

KAY] - Pricked, pricking. Executed by stepping directly on the point or demi-pointe of the working foot in any desired direction or position with the other foot raised in the air. As, for example, in piqué en arabesque. See also posé.

PIQUÉ TOUR [pee

KAY toor] - Piqué, turning. This is a pirouette in which the dancer steps directly onto the point or demi-pointe with the raised leg sur le-cou-de-pied devant or derrière, in attitude, arabesque or any given position. This turn is executed either en dedans or en dehors.

PIROUETTE [peer

WET] - Whirl or spin. A complete turn of the body on one foot, on point or demi-pointe. Pirouettes are performed en dedans, turning inward toward the supporting leg, or en dehors, turning outward in the direction of the raised leg.

PIROUETTE, GRANDE [grahnd peer

WET] - Large pirouette. This is a series of turns on one foot with the raised leg held in the second position en l'air, in attitude or arabesque, or in a combination of poses.

PLIÉ[plee

AY] - Bent, bending. A bending of the knee or knees.