Adagio
Slow.
A slow, sustained movement.
An adagio exercise is normally done in the end of the barre, and again in the first half of the centre exercises. It helps the dancers both to strengthen and to elongate the muscles.
In the class it is normally the first time the dancer is lifting the leg above 90°, except if there is a grand rond de jambe an l’air built into the rond de jambe par terre exercise
Kusha Alexi devéloppé en avant, during an adagio
Allégro
Fast, (from latin) happy.
Jumps are generally performed in an allégro tempo:
Grand allegro: large jumps.
Petite allegro: smaller jumps.
The expression is taken from music vocabulary, where allégro is describing music in an up-beat tempo.
Allongé
To elongate, lengthening.
An allongé is often a movement executed as a start of an enveloppé.
The allongé can be very hard on your hips unless you have a strong and stable standing leg.
Arabesque
A pose on one leg with the other leg extended to the back, literally - "in Arabic fashion”
The back leg may either touch the floor in battement tendu en arrière (called arabesque par terre), or be raised at an angle. Common angles are 45° (also called à demi hauteur), and 90° (à la hauteur).
Arabesque is one of the basic positions in classical ballet.
Kusha Alexi (from left to right) in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th arabesque
Arrière, en
Backward.
En arrière describes a step moving backwards, away from the audience.
A leg extended to the back like done in a battement tendu en arrière.
Assemblé
Congegrate, put parts together.
To assemble; a jump from one foot landing on two feet.
Example: from 5th position brush the back leg to the side 45° as the supporting leg bends at the knee, then jump off the floor, land on both legs in 5th position at the same time.
Assemblé is done as an exercise alone or a part of a combination, for example in a petit allégro or a grand allégro.
An assemblé executed in an assemblé exercise, in a petit allégro or grand allégro has one thing in common:
The battement of the working leg should NEVER go higher than 45°.
Since the standing leg have to go up towards the working leg in the air, a higher kick of the working leg would lead to a complete distortion of the body.
Attitude
A pose in which the dancer stands on one leg, with the other leg lifted and the knee bent at approximately 120-degree angle. The lifted leg can be behind (derrière), in front (en avant), or on the side (à la seconde) of the body.
A particular pose in dancing derived by Carlo Blasis from the statue of Mercury by Giovanni da Bologna.
There are a number of attitudes according to the position of the body in relation to the audience.
Kusha Alexi (from left to right) in attitude en avant and attitude en arrière
Avant, en
To the front,
indicates the direction of an extended leg, or the direction of a step.
“Towards the audience”
For example battement tendu en avant, or grand battement en avant or assamble en avant etc.
B
Balancé
To swing, to rock.
A swinging 3-step movement that is usually done on the musical meter of 3/8.
Balance is usually a step built into a pirouette exercise or a grand allégro.
Usually the balancé is done sideways (a la seconde) but it can also be done forward (en avant) or backwards (en arriére)
In many variations the balancé is used as a preparation step before a jump or a turn, or as a step to move big through the room.
Balance
Kusha Alexi in a passé balance at the barre
Balançoire
Balançoire, short for battements en balançoire: "battements like a seesaw".
The dancer swings the working leg vigorously back and forth between fourth position front and fourth back, through first position. Unlike grand battements en cloche, balançoires do not require that the body be held straight.
Ballon
Ballon: Appearing to hover or float in the air at the apex of a jump. It describes a quality, not the elevation or height, of the jump. Even in small, quick jumps (petit allegro), dancers strive to exhibit ballon.
A dancer is said to have ballon if (s)he seems to be in the air constantly with only momentary contact with the floor.
To exercise ballon improves the dynamic of your jumps.
Ballonné
Expanded; from balloon (air balloon).
A jump from one leg landing the leg foot as the other leg is extended outward and then returns to original position when landing.
Example: begin with the working leg to the back and the body leaning slightly forward, pass the leg through 1st position and straighten the body, then extend the leg to the front and the body leans slightly backwards.
Ballonné can be executed to all directions of your body:
to the front, (en avant) to the side, (a la seconde) or to the back. (en arreiére)
There are two kinds of ballonné: ballonné simple, which may be performed petit or grand; and ballonné compose, which is a compound step consisting of three movements.
Ballotté
Tossed.
A jump that can be done from either one foot or two feet.
Example: from 5th position: Jump off the floor with both feet, extend the front leg either to the front, side, or back by bending the knee, and land on the back leg.
The step may be performed with straight knees at 45 degrees or with développés at 90 degrees
In the Russian School, ballotté is performed traveling forward on ballotté en avant and backward on ballotté en arrière to the place from which the first jump began.
In the French School and the Cecchetti method, ballotté is performed on one spot.
Ballotté can also be done with bent knees, as the working leg goes through rétiré position front (to go forward). In this case the repeat may start by the left leg jumping up while the right comes back in to join it; the left leg then bending to bring the foot through rétiré back before thrusting backwards as the body lands on the right leg.
Barre
The railing:
About waist high, along the wall of a studio.
The barre is used by dancers as for steadying themselves in the first part of a class. Every ballet class,starts with exercises done with the aid of the barre.
Basque, pas de
A step from the Bask country:
A region with parts in France and another in Spain.
A step that can be performed as a sliding movement on the floor or as a jump.
Example: right leg front 5th position; extend the right leg to the front as the supporting leg bends at the knee (demi-plié), make a quarter circle clock-wise (ronds de jambes à terre en dehors) moving the right leg to the side, step over on the right leg and bring the left leg's foot to the ankle of the right leg (sur le cou-de-pieds en avant), step forward (temps lié) on the left leg and extend the right leg back, close the right leg back to 5th position
Battement
Beating,
movement of the leg.
A generic term for various movements in which the leg is extended and then returned.
Battements are often divided in grand battement, and petit battement.
To look up the different kind of battements like battement tendu, battement dégagé, grand battement, look it up in this list under the second word.
Ardee Dionisio in battement tendu a la seconde
Batterie
Called beats in the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus
A whole family of techniques involving jumps, where the feet cross quickly in front and behind each other, creating a flapping or "beating" effect mid-air.
Often the two terms “batterie” and “battu” is being mixed and used for the same movement depending on the background and school of the teacher.
Battu
Beaten.
A term used to describe certain steps and jumps. for example échappé battu.
Often the two terms “batterie” and “battu” is being mixed and used for the same movement depending on the background and school of the teacher.
Bourrée
To tamp.
A step done on the half-toe or on pointe (en pointe) where one leg pulls the other leg to close both in a tight 5th position in a series of very small and rapid steps.
Bourrée, pas de
A movement done as a series of three steps.
Example: right leg back in 5th position, pick up the back leg (coupé) to the back of the ankle of the supporting leg (sur le cou-de-pieds en arrière), step up on the right leg, step side on the left leg, close the right leg to 5th position front.
Bras
Arm
Bras, port de
Carriage of the arms.
Describing the movement of the upper torso and the arms
Bras bas
Arms down,
Arms in “a lowered first position”, in russian school this is also called the “preparation position”
Practically before each exercise in ballet, the dancer starts with the arms in the bras bas position.
Ardee Dionisio in 1st position at the barre, and the right arm in bras bas
Brisé
To break apart; to burst.
A beating jump from 5th position to 5th position travelling either forward or backwards.
Example: right foot back to 5th position on the diagonal; throw the leg forward and while travelling forward, beat the supporting leg, and then land with the working leg back in the 5th position.
Fundamentally a brisé is an assemblé beaten and traveled
Brisé volé
Flying brisé.
A variation of a brisé which takes off from one foot, beats in front of or behind the body, and lands on the other foot, without travel. Usually performed in series.
The pointe of the working foot extends about eight centimetres off the ground before the take off and the beats are being performed.
C
Cabriole
Caper - leap.
An allegro step in which the extended legs are beaten in the air.
Example: hold one leg off the floor and then jump up with the supporting leg, beat it against the other leg and land back on the original supporting leg.
Important is that the beat follows with the “take off leg” is coming up and beating the working leg, and not opposite, this then sends the working leg up even higher.
Cambré
A bend from the waist and up, either to the front, to the side or to the back (en avant, a la seconde or en arriére)
Young na Hyun in a cambré en arriére
Chaîné
Chain - link.
A series of connected movements.
Chaîné is often used a short for explanation of "tours chaînés déboulés"
Changé
To change
Changement
Short for - changement de pieds - change of feet.
A jump in which the feet change positions in the air. For example, beginning in fifth position with the right foot front, plié and jump, switching the right to the back, landing with the left foot in front in fifth position.
Ardee Dioniso doing a changement
Chassé
Literally chased or hunted.
A slide forwards, backwards, or sideways with both legs bent, then springing into the air with legs meeting and straightened. It can be done either in a gallop (like children pretending to ride a horse) or by pushing the first foot along the floor in a plié to make the springing jump up.
(In American folk dancing, this word was mispronounced, giving rise to the term "sashay.")
Chat, pas de
Step of the cat.
A jump from one foot to the other, and when in the air both feet are off the ground.
Example: right leg front 5th position, pull the leg up sharply to the knee and then extend it to the side with the knee slightly bent, jump off the left leg, bringing it up to meet the right leg with its knee slightly bent, land on the right leg, and then bring the left leg to front 5th position.
Cheval, pas de
Step of the horse.
This movement that can be done on the floor or as a jump, and at 45°, 90°, or 120°.
Example: right leg in front 5th position, pull the right leg up sharply to the supporting leg's ankle, extend it forward and touch the floor with the toes, then, close it in 5th position.
Cinq
Five
Cinq
Fifth
Ardee Dionisio in 5th position at the barre
Ciseaux, pas de
From scissors, step like a scissor
Opening the legs, like the blades of a pair of scissors, to a wide second position; may be jumped. Not to be confused with sissonne
Cloche, en
Like a bell.
A rocking, swinging motion like a bell, executed continuously devant and derrière through the first position
Coda
Literally "tail".
In music, a coda is a passage which brings a movement or a separate piece to a conclusion. In ballet a coda has essentially the same function, though it is always an independent musical movement.
It is often the final of a grand pas de deux.
Coté, de
To the side
Cou-de-pieds, sur le
Upon the neck of the foot.
Kusha Alexi balancing in cou-de-pieds
Coupé
To cut.
The foot to be sharply pulled off the floor and placed either in front or back of the ankle.
Couru, pas
Running step, to pursue.
a movement that is quick and light, travelling across the floor.
Croisé, croisée
Crossed.
One of the directions of épaulement.
The dancer is in croisé if the front leg is the right leg, and the dancer is facing the front-left corner of the stage; or if the front leg is the left, and the dancer is facing the front-right corner, then the dancer is in croisé. One of the directions of épaulement.
Ardee Dionisio in developpée en avant croisé
Croix, en
In a cross shape.
A term used to describe a movement that is done to the front, side, back, and side again.
D
De
Of, to
Dedans, en
Inwards,
A term used to describe the direction of a turn.
For example, Standing on left leg (standing leg) pulling your right leg to passé (working leg), when the turn is happening “towards” the standing leg, then this is described as inwards, or “en dedans”
Or,
in a rond de jambe par terre en dedans, the working leg moves the circle from en arriére through a la seconde and then arrives en avant.
Dehors, en
Outwards,
A term used to describe the direction of a turn.
For example, Standing on left leg (standing leg) pulling your right leg to passé (working leg), when the turn is happening towards the working leg, then this is described as outwards, or en dehors.
Or,
in a rond de jambe par terre en dehors, the working leg moves in a circle from en avant through a la seconde and then arrives en arriére.
Demi plié
Small bend.
An absolute fundamental movement in ballet.
In the demi plié the knees bend in alignment with the toes, but only as deep as it is possible to bend without lifting the heels off the floor.
This means that a demi plié has a different depth on each person, since each person has a different length of the achilles tendon.
Kusha Alexi in a demi plié
Demi pointes
Standing on the ball of the foot.
In demi pointe the dancer is rising in relevé as high as possible without going on pointe.
Kusha Alexi in demi pointes (relevé)
Demi ronds
Half circle.
A movement where the leg is only doing half the movement of rond de jambe.
For example:
When the dancer moves the working leg from battement tendu en avant in a circle to a battement tendu a la seconde, this is a demi ronde.
The demi ronds can be done in all hights:
-Rond de jambe par terre
-Rond de jambe en l’air (45 degree)
-Rond de jambe en l’air (90 degree)
A grand rond de jambe en l’air would normally only be performed in a full rond de jambe and not as only a demi ronds
Deh-rehy’-er
Back
Dessous
Over.
A directional term describing a movement
Deux
Two
Deuxième
Second
Devant
Front
Développé
A movement where the working leg is moving from the floor, up along the leg to a passé psition, and then fully extende through a attitude position.
A développé can be done in all directions, en avant, a la seconde or en arrieré
Young na Hyun in développé en avant (devant)
Diagonale
Diagonal
Dix
Ten
Double
Making two of one movement.
E
Ecarté
Step aside; deviation.
A directional term, describing a position where the leg is extended to the side, in épualement.
Example:
Right shoulder and right hip in diagonal towards the front, the right leg extended in a la seconde is called ecarté en avant.----
The same with right shoulder and hip facing the back: ecarté en arrière
Ardee Dionisio in a développée a la seconde -ecarté - en arriére
Échappé
To escape.
Done from either 1st or 5th position, moving (escaping) to either 2nd or 4th position and back to the original position, either as a slide out and back in, or as a jump.
Young na Hyun in the air during an echappé, from 5th to second position
Effacé
Shaded.
One position in épualement.
Effacé is used to qualify a pose in wich the legs are open, not crossed. It can be with the working leg on the floor or lifted in the air, in can be en avant or en arrère
Example:
If your right leg is extended en avant, and you are facing the front right corner with your body you are in effacé.
Effacé is the opposite position of croise.
Empoîté
Joining - to fit in.
A jumping movement from one foot to another, normally repeated in quick succession.
Elevé
Rise.
A relevé without a plié before. The dancer is simply rising demi pointe or pointe from flat feet.
En
In - To
Entrechat
To caper - Dash against each other.
A jump with beats, jumping from two feet (normally, except in temps levé with batterie) beating the legs together and landing on either both feet or on only one.
Entrelacé
To interlace.
Normally performed in a diagonal through the room as a jump in a grand allegro combination.
Entrée
Entrée has three different meanings.
- The beginning of a “dance number” like a grand pas de deux or the group entering the stage before the real dance start
- The first presentation - entry - of an important character in a story ballet
- The opening music before the ballet starts, are from many also called the “entrée”
Épualement
Shoulder -”shouldering”.
Describing three different directional terms:
-croise
-écarté
-effacé
F
Face, en
To face.
A basic position where the dancer is facing front.
Failli
Close to falling - almost falling - nearly fall.
A movement where the body is leaning off balance, and the fall is being cached in the last moment before the dancer would fall.
The movement can be done on the floor, for example standing on one leg, leaning out until almost falling before the fall is cached by the other leg.
A combination of failli and assemblé is very usual in a petit allegro or grand allegro combination.
Five positions, the
The five basic positions of the legs and arms, illustrated.
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5thArdee Dionisio and Kusha Alexi demonstrating the five basic leg positions
1st
2nd
3rd - English RAD school
4th - English RAD school
5th - English RAD school. 3rd - Vaganova schoolKusha Alexi demonstrating the five basic arm positions
Flic-flac
Slap - pop.
Describing a sound or an action.
Usually a flic-flac is built into a frappé exercise at the barre.
It can be done without turning, with a half turn or with a full turn, or even as a preparation for more turns.
Fondu
To melt.
Fondu is an exercise on the barre preparing the dancer both for co-ordination of pirouettes and for jumps.
Even if fondu means to melt it is important to perform the fondu’s rhythmically and with a bit of attack.
Example:
-Both legs stretched in 5th position
-Pull up the front leg to cou de pié
-Plié on the standing leg keeping the front foot in cou de pié
-Extend both legs at the same time, the standing leg stretches straight up, the working legs extends either en avant, a la seconde or en arrière
-The legs close back again to the original position
The co-ordination of these movements is essential.
Kusha Alexi in in the beginning of a.......
fondu a la seconde
Fouetté
To whip.
A movement happening on one leg (or on an imaginary leg if the movement is happening en l’air) where the dancer moves the direction of both hip and torso whilst the working leg stay in the same direction throughout the movement.
Frappé
To strike - hit powerfully.
A quick action of the leg.
Performed differently in different syllabuses.
For example:
-In the russian school the frappé origin from cou de pié with the foot stretched.
-the leg then extend rapidly to full extension and the leg finishes approximately 5 centimeters above the floor before the foot come back to the original cou de pié position.
-In the RAD system the frappé origin from a cou de pié but with the foot in flexion.
-When the working leg extend, first the ball of the foot hits the floor before the movement finishes approximately 5 centimeters above the floor before the foot come back to the original cou de pié in flex position.
Kusha Alexi preparing for frappé following RAD school
Kusha Alexi preparing for frappé following the Vaganova school
G
Gargouillade
Water spout
Glissade
To glide.
A traveling step.
Example:
-starting in 5th position demi plié
-The back foot stretches out to pointe
-Both legs stretches for a moment as the weight is moved from the standing leg to the pointed leg.
-The second leg points before closing into 5th.
The glissade can be done in all directions, changing or not changing the feet.
Grand
Large
Grand battement
The continuation of a battement dégagé/jeté.
The leg is thrown as high in the air as possible without loosong control over the standing leg.
Kusha Alexi in a grand battement a la seconde
Grand jeté
Large throw.
A jump where the dancer jumps from one foot to the other.
The grand jeté is usually a part of a grand allegro exercise for women.
Grand pirouette
Large turn.
A pirouette executed with the working leg extended either en avant, a la seconde orin arabesque.
Grand plié
A large bend.
Both knees flexes to a full bend at the same time, and so lowering the body towards the floor.
The upper body stay straight during the grand plié.
Kusha Alexi in a grand plié
Grand ronds de jambes
A large movement of the leg.
The legs moves in a big circle either en dehors or en dedans.
Grand ronds de jambes is often a part of a “rond de jambs par terre” exercise.
Kusha Alexi in the first part of a......
grand ronds de jambe en l'air en dehors
H
Huit
Eight
J
Jambe
Leg
Jambe, rond de
Circle of the leg.
A circular movement of the leg.
Ronds de jambe are used as an exercise at the bar, in the centre and in the adage, and are done à terre or en l'air.
All are done clockwise (en dehors) and counterclockwise (en dedans).
Jambe en l’air, rond de
Circle of the leg in the air.
A circular movement of the leg.
Ronds de jambe en l'air are done at the bar and in centre practice and may be single, or double, en dehors or en dedans. The toe of the working foot describes an oval, the extreme ends of which are the second position en l'air and the supporting leg. The thigh must be kept motionless and the hips well turned out, the whole movement being made by the leg below the knee.
Jeté, pas
Throwing step.
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 are many forms of jeté, (usually called merely jetés) jeté fermé, jeté ouverte, grand jeté, grand battement jeté, jeté entrelacé.
Jeté battu
Jeté beaten.
Both jeté dessus and jeté dessous may be beaten.
Jeté entrelacé
Jeté interlaced. A term of the Russian School.
A large advanced movement from one leg to the other.
Example: step forward on the right leg, throw the left leg forward and jump in the air, switch the torso and hips to face the opposite direction and throw the left leg forward, then land on the left leg with the right leg held off the floor in the back.
This jeté is done in all directions and in a circle. It is usually preceded by a chassé or a pas couru to give impetus to the jump. In the French School this is called "grand jeté dessus en tournant"; in the Cecchetti method, "grand jeté en tournant en arrière."
L
L’air, en
In the air.
a term used to describe the position of the leg or a jump.
For example:
Tour en l’air, or rond de jambe en l’air
M
Manège
Circular.
A term used to describe a step moving in circle in the room.
N
Neuf
Nine
O
Ouvert, ouverte
Open
P
Pas
Step
The undergroups of a “pas” you will find under the letter of the main step. For example: “pas de bourrée” you will find under B for Bourrée
Passé
To pass.
position and/or movement that requires the working leg to have its foot pointed to the side of the supporting leg's knee.
Kusha Alexi in a balance in passé (retiré) at the barre
Penché
To incline.
A movement where one leg is extended backwards (in arabesque) and the other one is standing on the floor, from that position lean forward.
Penché can also be done in the opposite way, with the working leg lifted en avant, and as the upper body does cambré to the back, the working leg rise.
Kusha Alexi in a penché
Petite
Small
Piqué
Pricked, pricking.
Executed by stepping directly on the point or half-pointe of the working foot in any desired direction or position with the other foot raised in the air.
A piqué is often also a part of a battement dégagé or a frappé exercise.(often also called pointe)
Pirouette
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.
The force of momentum is furnished by the arms, which remain immobile during the turn and from the proper preparing position.
The head is the last to move as the body turns away from the “spotting pointe” and the first to arrive as the body comes around and hit the spotting pointe again,
Pirouettes may be performed in any given position, such as sur le cou-de-pied, en attitude, en arabesque, à la seconde, etc.
If the pirouette is being executed with the working leg not in passé but in an extended position it is called grand pirouette.
Plié
Literally bent, bending.
A bending of the knee or knees.
There are two principal pliés: grand plié or full bending of the knees (the knees should be bent until the thighs are horizontal) and demi-plié or half-bending of the knees.
Pliés are done at the bar and in the centre in all five positions of the feet. The third position is usually omitted.
Kusha Alexi in a demi plié
Kusha Alexi in a grand plié
Poisson, pas de
"step of the fish".
Begins from fifth position and grand plié, jumps arching the back with the legs straightened behind, so that the whole body is curved like a fish jumping out of water.
Porté, portée
To traveld - carried.
Refers either to a step which is traveled in the air from one spot to another (such as assemblé dessus porté) or to the carrying of a dancer.
Polonaise
A processional dance in 3/4 time with which the court ballets of the seventeenth century were opened.
The polonaise is a march in which two steps are taken forward on the demi-pointes and then the third step is taken flat with the supporting knee bent in fondu and the other leg raised in front.
Posé
To pose.
Promenade
A walk.
Turns slowly in place on one foot by a series of slight movements of the heel to the required side while maintaining a definite pose such as an arabesque or attitude.
The turn may be performed either en dedans or en dehors.
Q
Quatre
Four
Quatrième
Fourth
Kusha Alexi in fourth position at the barre
R
Relevé
Literally lifted - raised.
A raising of the body.
Rising from plié position to balance on one foot or on both feet to demi-pointe or pointe. Smoothly done in some schools, a quick little leap up in other schools.
Kusha Alexi in relevé (demi pointe)
Renversé
Reversing, overturning.
A circeling movement of the leg and the co-ordination of the torso.
Renversé is executed on the floor or in a jump.
Retiré
Literally - 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.
Kusha Alexi in a balance in retiré (passé) at the barre
Revoltade
To fly back.
A turning jump where the dancer is landing on the same foot as he is jumping from.
Royale
A beating jump
A changement in which the calves are beaten together before the feet change position. Also termed "changement battu."
S
Sans
Without
Sauté, sautée
Jump - jumping
When this term is added to the name of a step, the movement is performed while jumping.
Sept
Seven
Serré
Close - compact - tight.
Describing a fast beating of the foot against the ankle of the other leg.
Sickling
Describing a fault in which the dancer turns his or her foot in from the ankle, thereby breaking the straight line of the leg.
Sissone
Sissonne is named for the originator of the step.
It is a jump from both feet onto one foot with the exception of sissonne fermée, sissonne tombée and sissonne fondue, which finish on two feet.
Six
Six
Soubresaut
Sudden leap.
A jump from both legs with the legs held tightly together in the air.
Sous-sus
Below - above.
A very tight 5th position in on relevé.
Soutenu
Support - sustain.
A movement where one leg is evenly drawn to the other, usually in a turn.
T
Temps
Step in time.
A sharp and normally fast jump
Temps levé
Step to lift.
Normally jumped from one foot and traveling.
Tendu
Stretched. Most known in kombination with "Battement tendu. What you see here on the picture is a battement tendu en avant.
Terre, á
On the floor
Tire bouchon
Literarily - cork screw.
The working leg is slowly drawn up the sides of the supporting leg as a turn is executed.
Tour
To turn.
Tour lent
Slow turn.
Trois
Three
Troisième
Third
U
Un
One
Unième
First
V
Valse, pas de
Waltz step.
Done with a graceful swaying of the body with various arm movements. May be done facing or en tournant.
Volé
To fly - Soar - to take wing