Ballet beginners start with a less extreme turnout. A bending of the knee or knees. Disengaged battement. Thumbs are the Baby birds in the nest, they are sleeping. A term of the French School and the Cecchetti method. Assemblé may also be done with a beat for greater brilliance. We explain the meanings of each french word used in ballet classes. Before the first count, one foot extends in a dégagé to second position (balancé de côté) or to the front (balancé en avant) or rear (balancé en arrière). Interweaving or braiding. 70 ballet terms with pictures (no accents) : ) Learn with flashcards, games, and more — for free. Correct body placement is essential in all kinds of pirouettes. Now, people of all ages and Used to indicate that a step is executed moving away from the audience. In the shape of a cross. One of the directions of épaulement in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience so that a part of the body is taken back and almost hidden from view. This use of the eyes while turning is called “spotting.” Pirouettes may be performed in any given position, such as sur le cou-de-pied, en attitude, en arabesque, à la seconde, etc. At the same time, lower the arms, then quickly raise them through the first position to the third position to help provide force for the jump. If the échappé is done in the second position the R foot may be closed either front or back. A step of beating in which the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses the legs before and behind each other. In the Cecchetti assemblé both knees are bent and drawn up after the battement so that the flat of the toes of both feet meet while the body is in the air. It may be performed en avant, en arrire and de côté in all directions, such as croisé, effacé, écarté, etc. Through common usage the term has become abridged to développé. Refers to grands battements executed continuously devant and derrire through the first position. Fifth position R foot front. This is the popular turn in which the dancer executes a series of turns on the supporting leg while being propelled by a whipping movement of the working leg. This step consists of coupé dessous and coupé dessus performed in a series with a rocking, swinging movement. The head is raised slightly and turned toward the raised arm so that the eyes look into the palm of the hand. Ballet Movements. The body must be well centered over the supporting leg with the back held strongly and the hips and shoulders aligned. Stand on the R leg facing corner 2 in the second arabesque à terre. Barre is one of the most common terms in ballet. This website has been made possible by Karen Phillips and Infor. This position corresponds to the fifth position en avant, Cecchetti method, or the first position, French and Russian Schools. Échappé on the points or toes. The exercise at the barre is usually preceded by a preparation from the first or fifth position which is done on two introductory chords. They may be done en face, croisé, effacé or écarté. This product contains 99 flashcards of basic ballet terminology and their definitions. Sideways. All steps where the dancer jumps are considered allégro, such as sautés, jetés, cabrioles, assemblés, and so on. See Déboulés; Tour, petit. Fifth position (Cinquième position): Fondu on the L leg, at the same time opening the R leg to the second position en l’air. Crossed. Like a bell. In steps and exercises the term en dedans indicates that the leg, in a position à terre or en l’air, moves in a circular direction, counterclockwise from back to front. In the French School, relevé is done with a smooth, continuous rise while the Cecchetti method and the Russian School use a little spring. Same as grand battement jeté balancé, but the body remains upright as the leg swings. There are two types of battements, grands battements and petits battements. ; À terre: "On the ground," indicates a movement. The two fundamental positions of épaulement are croisé and effacé. As, for example, in arabesque penchée. Positions of the arms. The French School has a preparatory position and five standard positions. This is the dignified, classical walk of the ballerina and the premier danseur. This fouetté may be done on demi-pointe, on point or with a jump. Copyright 2020 Ballet Theatre Foundation, Inc. American Ballet Theatre and ABT are registered trademarks of Ballet Theatre Foundation, Inc. Rond de jambe on the ground. (See Battement tendu). To start with, it can be tricky to remember for any dancer, but soon it will become a natural part to your dancing. These positions are used in some Russian schools. Even-numbered entrechats are done en face or en tournant, while odd-numbered entrechats are done devant, derrière, en tournant, the côté or de volée. In the Cecchetti method, the working foot is brought up to the retiré position with the toe pointed at the side of the knee (retiré de côté) before extending the leg in the required direction. This involves a high degree of flexibility and should be used to do nearly all ballet … Basic Ballet Terms; Shared Flashcard Set. Over. An exercise at the barre or in the centre in which one leg is made to describe a series of circular movements on the ground. This is the dancer’s “attention.” The arms form a circle with the palms facing each other and the back edge of the hands resting on the thighs. In rising from the ground the foot moves in the reverse order. This may refer to positions (the second and fourth positions of the feet are positions ouvertes), limbs, directions, or certain exercises or steps. On the “upbeat” the R foot is drawn in an arc to the fourth position back (the head turns forward) and the dancer begins a series of ronds de jambe à terre en dehors. 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. Five positions of the feet. The arms remain in the second position during the series of turns, then close in the first position for the concluding pirouettes. En dehors (Russian School): Fourth position R foot back. The word “Ballet” itself is French in origin, ballet is a classical dance form with flowing patterns to create expression through movement. They are done dessus, dessous, en avant and en arrire. In the French and Russian Schools the feet are completely crossed so that the heel of the front foot touches the toe of the back foot and vice versa. In steps and exercises the term en dehors indicates that the leg, in a position à terre or en l’air, moves in a circular direction, clockwise. With a little spring return to the fifth position in demi-plié. It is usually preceded by a pas couru or a chassé. Ballet Terminology is very important to learn for anyone starting with this form of dance. All steps of elevation begin and end with a demi-plié. Relevé on the L point or demi-pointe, sweeping the R leg to the second position en l’air, and execute a tour en dehors, bringing the R foot to side and front of L knee. 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. Indicates: (1) that a movement is to be made in the air; for example, rond de jambe en l’air; (2) that the working leg, after being opened to the second or fourth position à terre, is to be raised to a horizontal position with the toe on the level of the hip. Indicates that the body is to turn while executing a given step. Opposite (the audience); facing the audience. The supporting foot may be à terre, sur la pointe or sur la demi-pointe. Movement is initiated in the heel by pushing forward until the foot is forced into … The shoulders must be held square to the line of direction. Casting and programming subject to change. This is essentially a male dancer’s step although contemporary choreographers use this tour for girls. Demi-plié and, with a little spring, open the feet to the second or fourth position sur les pointes. A battement tendu is the commencing portion and ending portion of a grand battement and is an exercise to force the insteps well outward. Large fouetté, turning. The body should rise at the same speed at which it descended, pressing the heels into the floor. The working foot is placed on the part of the leg between the base of the calf and the beginning of the ankle. Effacé is also used to qualify a pose in which the legs are open (not crossed). If the développé is at 90 degrees, the working leg is brought from sur le cou-de-pied to retiré, that opens in the desired direction as the supporing knee straightens. Execute a pirouette en dehors on the L leg. Same as battement tendu jeté (Russian School), battement glissé (French School). A beating action of the extended or bent leg. Six crossings. This is the bending of the knees. Jeté beaten. Because there are so many specific positions and variations, it helps to know the definitions. Also used in the singular, “sur la pointe.” First introduced in the late 1820s or early 1830s at the time of Taglioni. They may be executed en dehors or en dedans. When performing a développé to second position, the front foot is brought to retiré devant and then extended, or the back foot is brought to retiré derrière and then extended. This is a cabriole in which one leg strikes the other in the air two or more times before landing. Cat’s-step. In a diagonal. The supporting foot springs from the floor and the landing is made in fondu on the working leg with the other foot extended in the air or sur le cou-de-pied. For ronds de jambe à terre en dedans, reverse the movements. Grand jeté is always preceded by a preliminary movement such as a glissade, pas couru or coupe. Circular. 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 danseuse by a danseur. Bent, bending. Pricked, pricking. In each case échappés are done to the second or fourth position, both feet traveling an equal distance from the original center of gravity. Brisés are commenced on one or two feet and end on one or two feet. Tutu: The fluffy skirt worn by the female dancer. In the Cecchetti method, entrechats are done with the knees bent and the feet drawn up so that one foot beats against the other from the base of the calf downward. The Russian School (Vaganova) has a preparatory position and three standard positions of the arms. Can be a great tool for teaching terms to new ballet learners of ALL ages! Battement stretched. Large battement. lt is a turn in the air in which the dancer rises straight into the air from a demi-plié, makes a complete turn and lands in the fifth position with the feet reversed. • … Understanding the basic positions is a great place to start when beginning … The leg nearer the audience is pointed in the second position à terre or raised to the second position en l’air. (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 derrire, in attitude, arabesque or any given position. See Plié. This movement involves dancers bending their knees and straightening them again, with the heels firm on the ground and feet turned right out. The whipping leg should be at hip level, with the foot closing in to the knee of the supporting leg. Welcome to the Online Video Ballet Dictionary Where You Will Find Ballet Terms Defined for You! 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. Also termed “changement battu.” Fifth position R foot front. Broken, breaking. The landing is then made on the underneath leg. Attitude (ah tea tude) - A variation on the arabesque. Throwing step. The crossing of the legs with the body placed at an oblique angle to the audience. There is a wide variety of pas jetés (usually called merely jetés) and they may be performed in all directions. Tendu. This is 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. A changement in which the calves are beaten together before the feet change position. Indicates: (1) that a movement is to be made in the air; for example, … It is usually done en dedans and may be finished in attitude croisée, attitude effacée or any of the arabesques. In the Russian School, ballotté is performed traveling forward on ballotté en avant and backward on ballotté en arrire to the place from which the first jump began. A step in which the working foot slides well along the ground before being swept into the air. Indicates that the working foot passes in front of the supporting foot. Details. Plié is one of the most basic steps in ballet; it’s the first thing most ballerinas learn right… En dedans (Russian School): Fouetté en dedans is done in the same manner as en dehors. 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. This is … Behind, back. Although the positions of the feet are standard in all methods, the positions of the arms are not, each method having its own set of arm positions. Rocking step. Low 5 th Position: (5 en bas) Hands hold a nest. Balancé may also be done en avant or en arrire facing croisé or effacé and en tournant. With a strong jump open the legs, beat the R leg behind the L, open the legs, beat the R leg in front of the L, open the legs and finish in demi-plié in the fifth position, R foot back. It is taken only dessus or derrire. The dancer tries to remain in the air in a definitely expressed attitude or arabesque and descends to the ground in the same pose. A term used to describe a lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting leg. The Académie Royale de L’Danse was formed in Paris in 1661 by Louis XIV to teach courtiers to dance and prepare ballets for the court. Please try a different letter. Level. Backward. 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. In the French School this is called “grand jeté dessus en tournant”; in the Cecchetti method, “grand jeté en tournant en arrière”. It may also be done backward with the leg raised either croisé or effacé devant. The passage of the arms from one position to another constitutes a port de bras. 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. On the half-points. This term may refer to a step, movement or the placing of a limb in front of the body. Ballet terms are French (a few are Italian) because the French were the first to codify ballet technique. Ballonné may be executed in all the directions of the body. Petits battements are executed with the supporting foot à terre, sur la demi-pointe or sur la pointe. As, for example, in piqué en arabesque, piqué développé and so on. In all entrechats both legs beat equally. It is based in French and there are hundreds of terms, definitions and details for every single step or move you do in ballet. The bending movement should be gradual and free from jerks, and the knees should be at least half-bent before the heels are allowed to rise. Bounce. Carried. The feet should glide rapidly to the open position and both feet must move evenly. Pirouettes are performed en dedans, turning inward toward the supporting leg, or en dehors, turning outward in the direction of the raised leg. In ballet it is a position of the body, in profile, supported on one leg, which can be straight or demi-plié, with the other leg extended behind and at right angles to it, and the arms held in various harmonious positions creating the longest possible line from the fingertips to the toes. Fondu on the L leg, at the same time extending the R leg to quatrième position devant en l’air (croisé devant). 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. It is the basis of the allegro step, the jeté. Assemblés are done petit or grand according to the height of the battement and are executed dessus, dessous, devant, derrire, en avant, en arrire and en tournant. An échappé is a level opening of both feet from a closed to an open position. Demi-plié and push off the floor into the air, turning en dehors (to the right). First position (Première position): 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; that is, in an entrechat quatre each leg makes two distinct movements. Both jeté dessus and jeté dessous may be beaten. A term applied to a whipping movement. The step owes its name to the likeness of the movement to a cat’s leap. Jumped, jumping. The torso is held perpendicular. In échappé to the fourth position facing en face, croisé or effacé, the movement is done from the fifth position to the fourth position without change. (French pronunciation: ​[balɑ̃se]; "balanced") A rocking sequence of three steps—fondu, relevé, fondu (down, up, down)—executed in three counts. In the air. Separated, thrown wide apart. A-Z glossary of ballet … plié means to bend or bending sissonnes are sissonne simple sissonne... Of reaching the open position pirouette is made outward toward the working foot placed. 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