Ess 100 Flashcards
Quick and jumping steps that develop lightness, smoothness and ballon
Allegro
Basic pose, name derived from a form of Moorish decoration. A straight leg extension to the back
Arabesque
A jump from two feet to two feet in which the working foot slides along the floor before being swept into the air. As the foot goes into the air, the dancer pushed off the floor with the supporting leg. Both legs land on the ground at the same time in 3rd or 5th position
Assemble
A pose on one leg with the other leg lifted with a bent knee to the front, side or back
Attitude
A 3/4 time step in which there is a shift of balance. The dancer steps to the side, the to the back, and then to the front. In that order of the steps the dancer also steps down into plié, up to the back, and down in plié to the front again
Balance
The light, elastic quality in jumping in which the dancer bounds up from the floor, paused a moment in the air and then descends lightly and softly, only to rebound back into the air like the smooth bouncing of a ball
Ballon
Starting from the fifth position in plié, one leg brushes along the floor to the front,side or back until that leg comes off the floor lifting the body and the other leg into the air and then landing on the non-brushing leg with the brushing leg
Ballonne
Slow and graceful movements that develop a sense of line, balance, control and strength
Adagio
a beating action of the legs. There are two types
Battement
A series of small, rapid beats around the ankle with the working foot in sur le cou de pied position
Petit Battement
An exercise in which the working leg is raised from the hip into the air, tries to reach a height of 90 or more, and is lowered again
Grand Battement
all jumps in which the legs beat together or one leg beats against the other
Batterie
ballet exercises done away from the bar in the center of the studio
Centre
A series of rapid 1/2 turns on demi-pointe. AKA traveling turns
Chaine
A jump from 3rd to 3rd or 5th to 5th position with one change of the feet
Changement
A traveling step in which one leg chases the other leg. The legs slide out to 4th position plie or 2nd and then the legs close in 3rd or 5th in the air.
Chausee
The working foot is wrapped around the ankle of the supporting leg,
Cou le pied, sur le
A position of the working foot pointed downwards in front of the supporting ankle
coupe
A tendu that comes slightly off the floor or a tendu that “disengages” from the floor
Degage
A movement in which the working leg foot is drawn up from 3rd or 5th on the floor to retire position of the supporting leg and then slowly extended to the front, side or back where it is momentarily suspended in the air
Developpe
A jump where the feet “escape” from a closed position to an open position
Echappe
A jump from 5th position to 5th position where the legs change places 2 times.
Entrechat
The simultaneous bending of both legs with the working leg foot in coupe position and then the simultaneous straightening of both legs with the working leg extending slightly off the ground
Fondu
A whipping step which starts with a grand battement, then the body pivots, leaving the leg in place. If the leg began in the front, it would end in the back and vice versa
Fouette
From a flexed position at the ankle, the ball of the working foot strikes the floor with an outward position at the ankle
Frappe
A traveling step starting from a closed position in plie in which one leg brushes off the floor to an open position in the air
Glissade
a jump from one leg to the other in which the working leg is brushed along the floor before being thrown into the air, as the leg goes into the air the dancer pushes off the floor with the supporting leg, the dancer then lands on the foot that brushed into the air
Jete
A leap in ballet, the leg is thrown to a height of 90 or more
Grand Jete
step of the basque people, step to 2nd then close 5th with the other leg, then with that same leg step forward on demi-pointe and the other leg closes behind it in sous-sus position
Pas de Basque
A 3/4 time step in which the dancer steps back then side then front with the corresponding levels: up,up, down
Pas de Bourree
A jump where one knee is lifted to the side and then the other knee follows
Pas de Chat
the step is so called because it resembles the movement of a horse pawing the ground. From a tendu or degage position, the working foot closes into 3rd or 5th position and then performs a small developpe extending low to the front, side or back at ankle height
Pas de Cheval
- When the working leg foot passes by the knee as it goes from 3rd or 5th front to 3rd or 5th back
- As a position, the working leg touches the inside of the supporting knee with the working leg in a turned out position
Passe
A tapping of an extended straight leg’s toes on the floor and off again, the toe “prick” the ground
Stepping directly onto demi-pointe with the other leg raised in the air
Pique
A complete turn or multiple turn on the body on one foot on demi-pointe
Pirouette
A bending of the legs in a standing position
Plie
Half plie, bending the legs but keep the legs on the floor
Demi Plie
a deeper bending of the knees, letting the heels come off the floor
Grand Plie
Dancing on the extreme tips of the toes in specially designed shoes
Pointe
dancing up on the balls of the feet
Demi pointe
a movement or series of movements made by passing the arms through various positions, there are 3 reasons for using this: the arms frame the body and the head, the arms help the dancer maintain their balance, helps the dancer develop coordination between the arms and the legs
Ports de Bras
A raising of the body from flat to demi pointe
releve
The position of placing the working leg foot by the knee of the supporting leg to the front or back
retire
the working leg foot is in front of the supporting leg knee with the little toe touching right below the knee
devant
the working leg foot is in back of the supporting leg knee with the inside of the heel touching the leg calf
Derriere
A curtesy for the woman and a bow for the men, performed at the end of class
reverance
One leg describes a circular or capital letter D
Rond de jamb
the working leg foot stays in contact with the floor
A Terre
the working leg foot brushes off the floor once it has passed through 1st position
grand
a circling of the lower leg only with the working leg extended to 2nd position in the air, the lower leg describes a D in the air
Rond de jamb en l’air
when the working leg circles from front to back
en dehors
when the working leg circles from back to front
en dedans
a jete en tournant where the 2nd position is sustained in the air when half the turn is completed and landing on the battement leg with the other in fondu devant position
Saut de basque
A step hop where the dancer takes off and lands on the same leg with the free back leg extended in arabesque
Saute
A jump springing from both feet in 5th position and landing in either ferme or ouvert
sissonne
in 5th position soon after landing
sissone ferme
one leg sustaining the other leg in an open position
sissone ouvert
A tight 5th position on demi pointe or pointe where both feet pull together so that from the front there appears to be one set of toes and 2 heels
Sous-sus
the technique of turning the head rapidly during turns to prevent dizziness and so the dancer knows where to end their turn, the dancer quickly whips the head around and refocuses the eyes with each turn of the head
spotting
the working foot slides along the floor from 1st, 3rd, or 5th position to the 2nd or 4th position until the heel comes off the floor and the toes stay in contact with the floor
Tendu
A traveling turn from one leg to the other or a turn in the air
Tour
The ability of the dancer to rotate the legs outward from the hip sockets, all of ballet is performed in this position
Turn-out
