Ballet Terminology

Question 1

A Terre

Answer 1

On the ground/floor

Question 2

Adage

Answer 2

Slow, soft, sustained, and controlled movement

Question 3

Arabesque

Answer 3

A position on one leg with the other behind either á terre, or en l’air (up to 90 degrees)

Question 4

Assemblé

Answer 4

To assemble, to join

Question 5

Attitude

Answer 5

A position standing on one leg with the other bent at an angle behind, en l’air

Question 6

Ballonné

Answer 6

To bounce (with a closing action of the working leg)

Question 7

Battement

Answer 7

To beat (a movement with a closing action)

Question 8

Chaseé

Answer 8

To slide

Question 9

Coupé

Answer 9

To cut

Question 10

Croisé

Answer 10

Crossed to the audience (front)

Question 11

De coté

Answer 11

To the side

Question 12

Demi

Answer 12

Half

Question 13

Demi-detourné

Answer 13

Half turn (towards the back foot)

Question 14

Derriére

Answer 14

To the back

Question 15

Devant

Answer 15

To the front

Question 16

Developpé

Answer 16

To develop or to unfold

Question 17

Echappé

Answer 17

To escape (a jump or relevé from 1st, 3rd or 5th to 2nd or 4th and returning)

Question 18

En arriére

Answer 18

Travelling backwards

Question 19

En avant

Answer 19

Travelling forwards

Question 20

En croix

Answer 20

In the shape of a cross (front, side, back or back, side, front)

Question 21

En dedans

Answer 21

Inwards (towards the supporting leg)

Question 22

En dehors

Answer 22

Outwards (away from the supporting leg)

Question 23

En face

Answer 23

Facing the audience (opposite)

Question 24

En l’air

Answer 24

In the air

Question 25

Enchainment

Answer 25

A combination of steps (a linked phrase of movement)

Question 26

Épaulement

Answer 26

Use of the shoulder, neck and upper back (looking over the shoulder)

Question 27

Fondu

Answer 27

To melt (a melting action)

Question 28

Frappé

Answer 28

To strike (like lighting a match on the floor)

Question 29

Glissade

Answer 29

To glide (a sliding movement from 5th to 5th)

Question 30

Grand

Answer 30

Large

Question 31

Jeté

Answer 31

To throw

Question 32

Ouvert

Answer 32

Open to the audience

Question 33

Pas de basque

Answer 33

A movement from 5th incorporating a rond de jambe a terre and closing to a 5th

Question 34

Pas de bourrée

Answer 34

Small/tight running steps (5th to 2nd/or 4th back to 5th)

Question 35

Pas de chat

Answer 35

Step of the cat (A jump from 5th to 5th with overlapping action with each leg bending and unfurling, one after the other)

Question 36

Passé

Answer 36

To pass (retire passé: the working leg's toes supported just under the supporting knee)

Question 37

Petit

Answer 37

Small

Question 38

Pirouette

Answer 38

To turn

Question 39

Plié

Answer 39

To bend

Question 40

Port de bras

Answer 40

Carriage of the arms (a controlled movement of the arms)

Question 41

Posé

Answer 41

To step (onto a straight leg)

Question 42

Relevé

Answer 42

To rise with a small rising action starting with a pile (bent knees)

Question 43

Retiré

Answer 43

To draw up (the supporting leg)

Question 44

Rond de jambe

Answer 44

Round of the leg (circle the leg like a protractor on the floor from 0 degrees to either 90 or 180)

Question 45

Sauté

Answer 45

To spring

Question 46

Sissonne

Answer 46

A scissor step - a jump from two feet to two feet

Question 47

Soubresaunt

Answer 47

A single jump (without changing the feet)

Question 48

Soutenu

Answer 48

To sustain (a turning action revolving the feet, either travelling or on the spot)

Question 49

Sur le cou-de-pied

Answer 49

On the neck of the foot

Question 50

Temps levé

Answer 50

To hop (a jump taking off and landing on the same foot)

Question 51

Tendu

Answer 51

To stretch (an extending action of the leg, a terre with a return closing action)

Question 52

What position is this?

Answer 52

Croise devant

Question 53

What position is this?

Answer 53

Quatrieme devant

Question 54

What position is this?

Answer 54

Efface (devant)

Question 55

What position is this?

Answer 55

A la seconde

Question 56

What position is this?

Answer 56

Croise derriere

Question 57

What position is this?

Answer 57

Ecarte

Question 58

What position is this?

Answer 58

Epaule

Question 59

What position is this?

Answer 59

Quatrieme derriere

Question 60

What position is this?

Answer 60

Efface derriere