Ballet I Flashcards
Allégro
brisk, lively
adagio
slow movement
Allongé
Extended, outstretched
Ex: arabesque
Arabesque
Arabian movement
Position of body, in profile, supported on 1 leg with other leg extended behind
Supporting leg may be straight or in a demi plie
Attitude
Inspired by statue of Mercury
Position on one leg with the other lifted in front (devant), in back (derriere) or a la seconde, slightly bent
B+
Named after George Balanchine
Dancer-at-the-ready position
Balancé
Rocking step
1-2-3 Waltz time
5th pos. R foot front
- Demi plié
- Dégagé R foot to 2nd pos. & jump on it lightly in demi-plié
- Cross L foot behind R ankle & step on the L demi-pointe behind R foot
- Slightly lift R foot off ground then fall on R again
- End in demi plié w/ L foot sur le coup-de-pied derriere
Barre
Horizontal wooden bar
Dancer holds for support
Battement tendu
Battement = Beating movement
Begin & end of grand battement
stretched
Battement frappé
struck (to strike)
Cambré
arched
Chanement
Changing the feet
Done petite & grand
Springing steps in 5th pos.
- Changing feet in air & ending w/ other foot in front 5th
Chaînés
Chains, links
A series of rapid turns on the pointes or demi pointes.
Arms open second, then close first as you turn, spotting your head as you turn.
Chassé
Chased
Glide into an open position and is finished in demi plié
Coupé
Cut, cutting
Croisé
Crossed
Crossing of the legs with the body placed at an angle to the audience.
May be devant or derriere
Dégagé
Disengage
Pointing of the foot in an open position w/ a fully arched instep
Pushes off the ball of the foot to spring off the floor
Demi
half
Derrière
Behind, back
Devant
Front
Développé
Developing movement
Supporting leg is flat on the ground
Working leg begins in sur le coup-de-pied
draws up to the knee to passé
slowly extends to an open position devant, a la seconde, or derriere
Hips are kept level & square to direction dancer is facing
échappé
Escaping or slipping movement
Moving feet from closed to open position
Performed 5th to 2nd or 4th then close 5th again
élève
To rise
straight leg onto demi pointe
En face
facing front
En bas
arms in low 5th
En cloche
like a bell
En croix
In the shape of a cross
4th devant
a la seconde
4th derriere
a la seconde
En dedans
Inward
En dehors
outward
En l’air
in the air
Enveloppé
Enveloped
Reverse of a developpé
Failli
Giving way
“to step out of it”
Fondu
to melt
bending the knee while on one leg
the Gateway
1st position arms
Jeté
Thrown
A jump from one foot to the other where the working leg brushes out into the air and appears to have been thrown
Glissade
To glide
Gliding working foot from 5th position to required direction and other foot is closing to it
Grand
big
Pas de basque
Step of the Basque people
Pas de bourée
back, side, front
waltz time
Pas de cheval
horse step
From 4th position devant pointe tendue
brush pointed foot inward toward the knee of the supporting leg
without stopping movement, execute développé
finishing pointe tendue a terre 4th position devant
Passé
Passed
Movement where foot of working leg passes the knee of the supporting leg from one position to another
Piqué
prick, pierce
Pirouette
Spin or whirn
Complete turn of the body on one foot
Plié
Bending the knees
Port de bras
Carriage of the arms
Port de corps
Carriage of the body
Promenade
Turn in a walk
Dancer turns slowly in place on one foot by a series of slight movements of the heel to the one side while maintaining a definite pose such as an arabesque or attitude
Relevé
raising of the body to the demi-pointes
done in a springing motion
Révérance
Reverent bow, curtsey
Rond de jambe
Round of the leg, circular movement of the leg
en dedans or en dehors
a terre or en l’air
Sauté
Jumped, jumping
À la seconde
to the second (position)
Sous-sus
Under-over
réléve in 5th position, drawing feet and legs tightly together
Soutenu en tournant
Sustained turn
Sur le coup-de-pied
Around the neck of the foot
Working foot is wrapped around the neck of the foot with the heel resting against the front of the neck of the foot and the toes are wrapped around to the back
Temps lié
Connected movement
Transfer of weight to different position
À terre
on the ground
Tire-bouchon
Like a corkscrew
Tombé
Falling
With working leg in the air, the dancer falls forward, backward, or sideways into a fondu on the working leg
