These are basic terms of ballet, listed in alphabetical
order starting with “A” and ending with “Z”.
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A actual correct form. Itresembles the swinging or rocking
Adagio: a slow movement or combination designed to
help a student master the basic poses, turns of the body
and head, and the firmness and stability of the body.
Allegro: a fast movement, which develops agility and
mobility of the body through jumps and combinations of
jumps.
Aplomb: most important part of learning to dance, it is
the balance and stability of the body. Once a dancer
knows how to find this and have the correct positioning
of the body, they will be able to perform even the most
difficult steps and combinations
Arabesque: one of the basic poses in contemporary
classical ballet. There are four; 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th
arabesques:
- 1st back is arched and leg is lifted behind at no less
than a 90-degree angle. Feet are in position efface. The
opposite arm as standing leg is out to the side and the
arm on the same side as standing leg is forward. Back
and head are lifted.
- 2nd body and legs are the same as in 1st, but arms are
switched so that the arm on the same side as the
standing leg is forward (forms a long straight line from
extended hand to foot).
- 3rd faces the audience, leg is in croise at 90-degree
angle and head is looking into hand. Arm forward is
same as extended leg. Arm side is on same side as
standing leg.
- 4th same as 3rd, except arms are opposite and the
head is looking over the shoulder
Assemblé: a jump, which, once mastered, provides a
foundation for other allegro (jumping) steps. To execute:
plié in fifth position, tendu to the side (2nd position),
push off of floor, pointing toes, and end with both feet
touching the floor at the same time in PLIE!
Attitude: a pose on one leg with the other lifted at a 90-
degree angle (similar to arabesque) with knee bent and
not dropped. Arms are to corresponding leg. Bent knee
allows body to bend and turn.
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B
Balance: a simple pas allegro often (in classical dancing)
used in waltz tempo. TO EXECUTE: start in fifth, tendus
the back foot to the side and jete (light), landing in fifth
and crossing the opposite foot behind in cou-de-pied.
Ballon: the ability of a dancer to hold in the air a pose or
position.
Ballonne: same as balance, only, instead of a jete, do a
jump.
Ballotte: it is a movement which requires strength in the
legs and body that is very difficult to execute in it's
of a boat.
Battements: the extension of the leg and its return to
the position from which it has been extended. Battement
tendus help to heal injuries and to warm up the legs. To
execute: begin in 5th position (right foot front) with the
arms out to 2nd position. Tendu to the front and extend,
lifting the left as high as you can (resembling a
kick,except without bending the knee and always
keeping the back straight). Keep the leg stretched and
bring it back down to the tendu and to 5th position.This
is all one movement. Always brush through tendu before
lifting the leg!
Batterie: (beats) steps in which one leg is beaten against
the other. During execution of the step, both legs must
be stretched and slightly opened.
Battu: any step embellished with a beat
Brise: two kinds: one ends in 5th position, another ends
on one leg (dessus: forward/dessous: back); often used
on stage and seldom done to the back.
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C
Cabriole: one of the most difficult forms of the jumps, it
is a movement in which the calves meet in the air
between 45 and 90 degrees. TO EXECUTE: start in 5th
position (left foot front), plie on left foot and extend right
leg up, bringing the left one behind. End on the left foot
in plie.
Ceccheti: dancer who introduced pointe work on the toes
Changement: two kinds; petit and grand: a.) Petit:
develops softness and elasticity of the jump. TO
EXECUTE: plie in 5th with the right foot front, and push
off of the floor, extending the toes in the air. As you
come down, switch the feet and end in 5th plie with the
left foot in front. b.) Grand: a larger version of the petit-
only you plie deeper and jump higher.
Chasse: a masculine movement - it is a jumping, gliding
movement to the side
Ciseaux: combination of a cabriole and a changement.
Similar to a cabriole - all you do is change your feet in
the air. TO EXECUTE: start tendu back, standing on the
left foot in front. Bring the right leg up to the side and
plie, bring the left foot up on top of the right, plie on
right, and swing left leg back to arabesque.
Cou-de-pied: the foot is placed near the ankle of the
other leg, pointed and wrapped when in the front and
side, and touching when in the back.
Coupe: done as preparation or "pick up" and looks
similar to cou-de-pied.
Croise: a position in which the legs are crossed from an
audience's viewpoint.
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D
Degage: similar to tendu, only, the foot is lifted about 3
inches off the floor.
Demi-plie: done in five positions. Demi is the half-
movement of the full (grand) plie.
Dessous: means "under" or "back"
Developpe: a movement from adagio which is an
extension of the leg. TO EXECUTE (a basic developpe):
start in 5th (right foot front), and bring the right foot up
to passe. Then extend forward 90 degrees. Execute to
the side, then to the back, and then to the side again for
a basic exercise. (p. 17, 35, 61)
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E Fondu: a preparation movement used for more complex
Ecarte: facing the corner
Echappe: movement of beginning in 5th jumping to 2nd,
and then jumping back to 5th (always pointe toes and
stretch the legs)
Efface: a position in which the legs are open and
"uncrossed" (opposite of croise)
Elevation: the acquiring of flight, consisting of two
elements: elevation proper and ballon
Emboite: a turning jump. TO EXECUTE: start in 5th
position (right foot front), demi plie, jump up and turn
180 degrees (right foot up in passe). Land on left foot
(right foot still in passe) and repeat one more time to
return to the start position.
En dedans: a rotating movement directed inward
("closing the door" is a way to remember it)
En dehors: a rotating movement directed outward
("opening the door" is a way to remember it)
En face: (part of epaulement). It is the natural direction
for 1st and 2nd position (head and shoulders remain in
the natural position). In other words, just facing front
toward where the audience would be. Epaulement: the
use of the head and shoulders which helps a dancer
master the artistry of classical ballet. After strnght in the
body is gained, exercises begin to use the basic body
positions.
Extension: stretching body part to its extreme point
(example; bent knee to straight leg)
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F
Facial expression (in epaulement): facial expression in
epaulement changes depending on the position. If the
right foot is tendus forward, the head looks up and out.
If the tendus is to the side, the head is up and straight
ahead. If the tendus is to the back, the head is inclined
or up and straight ahead if arms are in arabesque. This
basic positioning of the head is used in almost all steps in
ballet.
Failli: a movement done on one count, has a
characteristic fleeting air about it. Since I have never
done this step before, I will use Agrippina Vaganova's
explanation from The Basic Principles of Classical Ballet :
"stand in 5th position, right foot front. Demi-plie, jump
up vertically, feet close together. During the jump, turn
body efface back, and immediately, without a pause,
move the extended toe of the left foot on the florr
through 1st position forward in croise, and then demi-
plie." This movement must be done with the correct arm
positions.
Flic-Flac: a movement done in exercises and as a linking
movement in adagio. Has a "lashing character". It is
simply a touch of the toe to the side, then to the front,
then into coupe. It is done in en dedans and en dehors,
on half toe, and en turnant (turn).
steps. The basic execution is: plie in 5th (right foot
front), bring the right foot up to cou-de-pied and keep
the toes pointed. Fondu can be done in battements,
jetes, and sissones.
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G
Gargouillade: French term (also known as rond de jambe
in the Russian school). In en dedans, it is usually used in
class, but not done on stage very often. [I have never
ever heard this term before so when I finally learn what
it actually is, I will be sure to write it here J]
Glissade: as you can see from the name, this is a gliding
movement associated with other steps, such as the leap,
in ballet. When executed correctly, it appears that the
dancer is “gliding” across the floor, without the bouncing
of the body that would be seen in an inexperienced
dancer or amateur. TO EXECUTE: This step always
begins and ends with a plie. Start in 5th position (right
foot front) and demi-plie. As you plie, tendu the right
foot to the side in 2nd position. As soon as the body
weight is transferred to the right leg, immediately bring
the left leg into 5th behind the right foot. The finish with
a demi-plie. Remember that this is a very graceful
“gliding” movement. There should be no excessive
movement of the upper body. It is best to remain in plie
throughout the entire movement.
Grand: simply means the enlargement or intensifying of
a movement normally done in “petit” or “demi” (grand
meaning “big). Various grand steps include: the grand
adagio, grand assemble, ballonne, battement,
changement de pieds, echappe, emboite, fouette, jete,
pas de basque, pirouette, plie, port de bras, releve, and
ronds de jombe.
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H
Hands: As unimportant as they may seem, the hands of
a dancer are actually very important to their level of
technique. When in position, the fingers should be freely
grouped and rounded somewhat to continue the curve of
the arms. The thumb should touch the middle finger and
be held there during exercises. No spread hands or
ungrouped thumbs are acceptable.
Head: The head of a dancer is important in every aspect
of ballet technique. It symbolizes the true artistry and
beauty of ballet and it is necessary for a dancer to learn
the correct placement for it. To see examples of this and
to gather more detailed information, see “Port de bras”
in the Basic Movements section of Arabesque.
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I
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J demi-rond de jambe en dehors to the side, while the left
Jete: comes from the French word, jeter, which means to
“throw” or in ballet, “to throw the leg and fall onto it”.
This movement is similar to the glissade in that they are
both types of “gliding” movements. TO EXECUTE: the
most common jete starts in 5th position (right foot
front). Demi-plie and tendu the right foot front. Execute
a pas de bourree or simple preparation movement and
bring the back foot forward in what resembles a leap.
The arms are immediately in arabesque position and the
front foot lands first, with the back foot following in
behind. Finish in 5th position and demi-plie. More
complex jetes include: the jete battu, en tounant, en
tournant par terre, entrelance, ferme, fondu, grand, in
half turns, passé, on pointes, and renverse.
Jumps: the act of swiftly moving into the air in an
upward motion.
________________________
L bourrée" or pas de bourrée suivi, "followed pas de
________________________
M de bourrée couru.
Movements (Noverre's seven): Noverre (1727-1810, a
dancer and ballet master whose writings revolutionized
ballet) analyzed all balletic movements into seven basic
categories. These are: plier, to bend; étendre, to stretch;
relever, to rise; sauter, to leap; élancer, to dart; glisser,
to glide; and tourner, to turn.
________________
N Pas de cheval ["step of the horse"]: Starting with the
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O
________________
Opposition: Movement (or position) of the arms in
opposite direction to movement (or position) of the
legs--as we move our arms when we walk.
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P
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Pas: A step. Many of the common names of steps in
ballet are adjectives (or participles) instead of nouns;
these names have the word "pas" understood: thus, for
example, "coupé" (which everybody says) is actually
short for "pas coupé" ["cut step"] (which nobody says).
Also used to refer to a dance, as pas de deux, a dance
for two; pas de quatre, a dance for four.
Pas de Basque ["Basque step"]: Starts in 5th position;
assume right foot front. On the upbeat, demi-plié; the
right foot glides forward in croisé and continues with a
foot remains in plié. A small jump occurs onto the right
foot in demi-plié. The left foot now glides through 1st
position into croisé forward. On the final count, the
weight is transferred to the left foot and a small jump is
made to bring the feet together where the left one was
placed. The movement finishes in 5th croisé.
(Charlotte's FAVORITE!)
Pas de bourrée ["bourrée step," the bourrée being an old
folk dance]: This term has at least two meanings.
1. One of the simplest connecting steps, used to link
other steps in a combination. The commonest form is
probably the pas de bourrée dessous. Assume your right
foot is in front: left foot on half pointe; step on it and put
your weight on it; move the right foot to the side,
transfer your weight to it (also in relevé); move the left
foot to the front of the right and put your weight on both
feet in a plié.
2. (properly called pas de bourrée couru, "running pas de
bourrée"). A gliding movement by a dancer on pointe
consisting of many very small steps taken with the feet
close together. When a dancer uses bourrée as a verb
("Then you bourrée downstage"), she usually means pas
Pas de chat ["step of the cat"]: A jump. Leap off the left
leg, starting from a plié and raising the right leg into
retiré. In midair, raise the left leg into retiré, too, so your
legs form a diamond shape in the air. Land on the right
leg with the left leg still in retiré; then bring it down,
landing in another plié. In the famous dance in Swan
Lake in which the four cygnets dance with interlaced
arms, they do sixteen pas de chat.
working leg in pointe tendu, draw it along the floor back
to the supporting leg; then, without pausing, move it up
to cou-de-pied and back out to pointe tendu in a small
developpé. The step resembles the pawing of a horse.
Passé ["passed"]: A movement in which the pointed foot
of the working leg is made to pass the knee of the
supporting leg. Frequently used--incorrectly--as a
synonym for retiré.
Penché ["leaning"]: A tilting of the body to achieve an
exteme picture. An example is when the dancer is in an
arabesque at 90 degrees. She then pushes her working
leg upward and over, pushing the body down towards
the supporting leg to achieve a much greater angle
between legs, often resulting in a 180-degree split.
Petit battement ["little beat"]: An exercise for speed and
agility in the lower leg. In the starting position, the
working leg is sur le cou-de-pied. It opens in the
direction of 2nd position but only half way, as the leg
does not fully extend at the knee. The working leg then
closes to sur le cou-de-pied opposite of where it started
(in back if it started in front and vice versa). Done
repeatedly, back and front. The knee and thigh of the
working leg stay in the same place and do not move
during the exercise.
Petit jeté ["little jump"]: A jump: brush the working foot
out, hop off the supporting leg, and land on the working
foot with the other foot sur le cou-de-pied behind. Can
be done to the front, the side, or the back.
Pirouette ["spin"]: A complete turn on one leg. The
dancer usually goes round more than once. The raised
leg is most commonly held in rétiré, but pirouettes with
the leg in other positions are not uncommon. If the
direction of the turn rotates the raised leg away from the
front of the body, the pirouette is en dehors; if it rotates
the leg toward the front, it is en dedans. The dancer
spots (see "spotting") in order to avoid becoming
disoriented. Pirouettes are usually fast, but supported
pirouettes, in which a partner steadies the soloist, may
be done very slowly.
Placement: Roughly, alignment of the body. Becoming
properly placed means learning to stand up straight, with
hips level and even, shoulders open but relaxed and
centered over the hips, pelvis straight (neither
protruding nor tucked under), back straight, head up,
weight centered evenly between the feet. This posture is
frequently described as "pulled up," but it is also a
relaxed posture; you aren't tensed up like a soldier
standing at attention. (A teacher once said you should
imagine that you are suspended by a thread attached to
the top of your head. This suggests both the "pulled-up"
and relaxed aspects of good ballet posture.) And as you
dance, you seek to maintain this posture except when
the step requires something different, like épaulement,
or like the slight forward arch of the spine that
accompanies an arabesque.
Plier ["to bend"]: One of Noverre's seven movements
(see movements).
Plié ["bent"]: Knee bends, done with the legs turned out.
Normally the first exercise in a ballet class. Demi-plié
["half-bent"] is a shallow bend (in all positions but
second, as far down as you can go without lifting the
heels off the floor); grand plié ["big plié"] is a deep bend,
down to where the thighs are almost horizontal. In all
positions except second, the heels release from the floor
in a grand plié.
Pointe ["point"]: (demi ["half"], quarter, three-quarter,
sur les pointes ["on the points"]). The point of the foot.
Demi-pointe, etc., refer to how far the heel is raised off
the floor in a relevé. Definitions vary, but this will do for
starters: quarter point is with the heel just off the floor;
three-quarter point is a straight line from the knee to the
ball of the foot. Demi pointe is half way between. Sur les
pointes, or "on pointe," is on the tips of the toes--
literally. Children should not be allowed to go on pointe
until the bones of their feet are fully developed--typically
about the age of 11 or 12.
Pointe tendu ["stretched point (of the foot)"]: A position
in which the working leg is stretched straight out in any
direction with only the tip of the foot touching the floor.
Port de bras ["carriage of the arms"]: 1. How a dancer
uses his arms. 2. Specific movements of the arms, as
first port de bras, second port de bras, etc. 3.
Sometimes used instead of cambré. A grand port de bras
is a circular bend, either toward the barre, then down,
then up away from the barre, and then backward and
back toward the barre: or the same thing in the opposite
direction.
Positions: see feet, positions of and arms, positions of.
Positions on stage: See: Croisé, effacé, en face, écarté.
Promenade ["walk"]: A pivot turn in which the dancer
moves slowly around by shifting the heel of the
supporting leg. The rest of the body may be in arabesque
or attitude. In a supported promenade, the partner turns
the soloist.
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Q
________________
Quatrième ["fourth"]: Fourth position. (See feet,
positions of and arms, positions of.)
Quatrième, à la ["in the fourth"]: À la quatrième devant
is with the working leg stretched out to the front; à la
quatrième derrière is with the working leg stretched to
the back.
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R
____________________
Relever ["to rise"]: One of Noverre's seven movements
(see movements).
Relevé ["raised"]: A movement in which the heels are
raised off the floor. The rise may be smooth or aided by
a slight spring, depending on the school. A dancer in
such a position is said to be "in relevé."
Retiré ["withdrawn"]: A position in which the working
foot is drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg. Also
frequently (and incorrectly) called passé.
Rond de jambe ["circular movement of the leg"]: A
movement in which the working leg is made to describe
a letter D about the supporting leg. May be done with the
working foot on the floor or in the air. In a rond de
jambe en dehors ("outward") on the floor, the working
leg moves from first (or fifth) position to pointe tendu
forward, makes a half circle to pointe tendu in back, and
then returns to first, if the rond de jambe is to be
repeated, and otherwise to first or fifth. A wonderful T
exercise for turnout. In a rond de jambe en dedans
("inward"), the direction of movement is reversed. In a _______________
demi rond de jambe, the working leg goes only half-way
around, stopping in second position. A grand rond de
Temps: Literally, "time," but perhaps "moment" would be
jambe, is executed with the supporting leg in plié. A rond
better. A movement that forms part of a step. Grant says
de jambe en l'air ("in the air") is done with the working
a part in which there is no transfer of weight, which
leg raised off the floor, frequently at an angle of 90
raises some interesting questions about temps lié.
degrees (parallel to the floor).

Temps levé ["raised movement"]: Temps levé is the very

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S
________________
Sauter ["to leap"]: One of Noverre's seven movements
(see movements).
Seconde, à la ["in second"]: In second position, i.e., to
the side. (See feet, positions of and arms, positions of.)
Sissonne [Named for its inventor]: A type of jump that
has several forms, among them: sissonne simple,
sissonne ouverte, sissonne fermée, sissonne fondue, and
others. Not to be confused with ciseaux.
{ In sissonne simple, the most elementary form, the
movement begins in 5th position. Jump straight up, with
the legs together and the feet pointed. Land on one foot
in demi-plié, with the other foot sur le cou-de-pied either
in front or back (corresponding to whether the foot sur le
cou-de-pied began in front or back--it does not
change). }
Soubresaut ["sudden leap"]: A jump from both feet to
both feet. Beginning in 5th croisé, the feet push off the
floor so that the body flies forward with feet pointed and
legs together. Before the jump, the body inclines
forward, and then during the jump bends forcefully back,
so that the legs remain at the back. The movement ends
in 5th croisé. The arms are free and depend only on the
design of what is being sought after; when studying,
they usually begin in preparatory, come up to first during
the jump, and end in preparatory again.
Sous-sus ["under-over"] (or sus-sous ["over-under"]): A
relevé in a tight fifth position with one foot almost on top
of the other.
Soutenu ["sustained"]: (a) Performed smoothly and
slowly. (b) Also used to indicate a smooth détourné. For
(a), can be: where from 5th position, the working leg is
taken out to the front, 2nd position, or to the back, while
the supporting leg is lowers to demi-plié. Then the
supporting leg rises to demi or full pointe while the
working leg is drawn into it, ending in a tight sus-sous
position.
simplest jump from one foot onto the same foot with the
other foot raised.
Temps lié ["joined movement"]: This is a term for a
whole series of conventionally connected movements
executed in the center of the room, often during an
adagio. However, it is also the term for an independent
form of a step. In the basic form of the temps lié, stand
in 5th position croiseé, arms in preparatory position. The
working leg is drawn, without taking the toe off the floor,
into croisé devant, while the supporting leg bends into
demi-plié; simultaneously, the arms are raised into 1st
position with the head slightly inclining towards the
shoulder corresponding to the supporting leg. Then, the
weight is transferred through demi-plié to croisé derrière
onto what was the working leg. Here, both legs are
completely stretched with the now working leg stretched
toe to the floor in back. At the moment of weight
transfer, the arm that corresponds to the now working
leg is raised overhead, while the other arm opens
sideward; the head turns towards the sideward arm.
Finally, the working leg closes in 5th back; arms may
remain or stay.
Tendu ["stretched"]: See: battement tendu and pointe
tendu.
Terre-à-terre ["ground to ground"]: Used to describe
steps in which the dancer's feet do not leave the floor.
Antonym: movements).
Travesti, en ["in disguise"]: Of a female dancer: dancing
a male role in a man's costume; of a male dancer:
dancing a female role in a woman's costume.
Turnout: The balletic stance in which the legs are rotated
outward so that the legs (and feet) point in opposite
directions. A dancer adopting this position is said to be
"turned out." Usage varies, but most people seem to
measure the degree of turnout by the angle between the
foot and the mid-saggital plane of the body. The ideal,
with both feet in a straight line, is thus 90 degrees of
turnout. Turnout must begin at the hip. Forcing the feet
and letting everything else follow puts severe strain on
the joints, especially the knees, and defeats the purpose
of turnout, which is to rotate the thigh bone to permit
greater extension, especially to the side.

Spotting: A technique for for keeping oriented and

avoiding dizziness during turns. Pick a spot (some
conspicuous object); keep looking at it as you turn until
you can't any longer; then quickly turn your head so you
are looking at it again.

Sur le cou-de-pied: See cou-de-pied, sur le.

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