Terms Flashcards
Air, en l’
in the air. Indicates: 1- that a movement is to be made in the air; for example, ronde de jambe, en l’air, 2- that the working leg, after being opens to the second or fourth position a terre, is to be raised to a horizontal position with the toe in the level of the hip.
Allegro
Brisk,lovely. A term applied to all bright and brisk movements. All steps of elevation such as enterchat, cabriole, assemble, jete and so on, come under the classification.
Allonge
Extended, outstretched. As, for example, in an arabesque allonge.
Arabesque
One of the basic poses in ballet, arabesque takes the name from a form of Moorish ornament. In ballet it is the position of the body, in profile, supported on one leg, which can be straight or Demi- plié, which the other leg extended behind at right angles to it, and the arms held in various harmonious positions creating the longest possible line from the fingertips to the toes. The shoulders must be held square to the wind of direction.
Assemble
Assemble are joined together. Step in which the working foot brush is well on the ground before being swept up into the air. As the front goes into the air the dancer person pushes off the floor with the supporting leg extending the toes. Both the legs come to the ground send me simultaneously simultaneously in the fifth position
Attitude
A particular pose in dancing by Carlo Blasis from this statue of mercury by Giovanni da Bologna.
Balance
Rocking step. And alteration about once shifting the weight from one foot to the other balance may be done crossing for either front or back. Balance is done in three count.
Ballonne, pas
Ball like a bouncing step. Step in which the dancer springs into the air extending like to the front side or backand clams with the extended like either sur le cou-de pied or retire.
Ballotte
To toss about. I jump for the working leg goes either through coupe developpe or passé developpe as you jump, then comes back in the reverse.
Bas, en
Low. Used indicate a low position or the arms.
Battement
Beat. A beating action of the extended our bent leg. There are two types of battement, Grand battement and petite battement. Petite battement are: battement tudus, degages, frappes, and tendu releve: grand battement (large beat) is an exercise in which the working leg is raised from the hip into the air and brought down again, the accent can be on the downward or upward movement, both knees straight.
Battu
Beaten. Any steps embellished with a beat called a pas battu.
Brise
Broken, breaking. A small beating stop and watch the movement is broken. Br
Adagio, adage
Adage is a French word derived from the Italian ad adgio, meaning at ease or leisure. A succession of slow and graceful movements which develop a sustaining power, sense of line, balance, and beautiful poise.
Brise vole
Flying Brise. In this brise the dancer finishes on one foot after the beat, the other leg crosses front or back sweeping through first and reverse.
Cabriole
Caper. An allegro step in which the extended legs are beaten in the air. The working leg is thrust into the air, the underneath leg follows and bets against the first leg, sending it higher. The landing is made on the underneath leg.
Cambre
Arched. The body is bent from the waist, backward or sideways, the head following the movement of the body.
Chaines
Chains, links. A series of rapid turns on the point or demi-pointes done in the first position, in a straight line or circle.
Changement
Change of feet. Changements are springing steps in the fifth position, the dancer changing feet in the air and alighting in fifth position with the opposite foot in the front.
Changement battu
changement beaten. Same as a royale.
Chasse
Chased. A step in which one foot literally chases the other foot out of its position by sliding the foot in plie.
Cloche, en
Like a bell. Refers to grand battement executed continuously devant and derriere through the first position.
Contretemps
Beating against the time. A step executed quickly and prior to the beat of the music. A term of the Cecchetti method and French school. A rond de jambe en dedans into a step or jete.
Con-de pied, sur le
On the neck or throat of the foot. The working foot is placed on the part of the leg between the base of the calf and the beginning of the ankle, wrapping around the ankle.
Coupe
A cutting. The position of a pointed foot at the ankle or an action as a preparation or impetus for some other step where one foot replaces the other.
Croise
Crossed. One of the positions of the body where one leg appears to be crossed in front of the other.
Croix, en
In the shape of a cross. Indicates that an exercise is to be executed to the front, to the second position, and to the back, or vice versa.
Dedans, en
Inward. In steps and exercises the therm en dadans indicates that the leg, in a position a terre or en l’air moves in a circular direction inward.
Degage
Disengaged or disengaging step. A degage is the action of brushing the foot off the floor and returning to a position.
Dehors, en
Outward. In steps and exercises the term en dehors indicates that the leg, in a position a terre or en l’air, moves in a circular direction outward.
Demi-plie
Half bend of the knees. All steps of elevation begin and end with a demi-plie,
Derriere
Behind, back. This term may refer to a movement, a step or placing of a limb in back of the body.
Dessous
Under. Indicates that the working foot passes behind the supporting foot.
Dessus
Over. Indicates that the workign foot passes in front of the supporting foot.
Detourne
Turned aside. A detourne is a pivot turn on both pointes or demi pointes. It is a complete turn toward the back foot and reverses the position of the feet.
Devant
In front. This term may refer to a step, movement or placing of a limb in front of the body.
Developpe
Developing movement. A developpe is a movement in which the working leg is drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg and slowly extended to an open position en l’air and held there with perfect control. The hips are kept level and square to the direction the dancer is facing.
Ecarte
Separated, thrown wide apart. Once of the directions of the body on a diagonal line, in an open position with the working leg in second position
Echappe
Escaping or slipping movement. An echappe is a level opening of both feet from a closed to an open position. There are two kinds of echappe: echappe saute, which is done with a spring from the fifth position and finishes in a demi-plie in the open position, and echappe sur le pointes or demi pointes which is done with a releve and has straight knees when in the open position. In each case echappe are done to the second or fourth position, both feet traveling an equal distance from the center of gravity.
Efface
shaded or open. One of the directions of the body in which the legs are open, with the working leg either in front or in back of the standing leg, on a diagonal line.
Eleve
To press up or rise to demi pointe.
Emboite
Fitted together, boxed. The name is derived from the close fitting of the feet like a lid on a box. It is a type of jete done without a brush of the working foot. Also, emboite en tourant- emboite turning. These are quick jumping turns done wither in a straight line or in a circle. The jumps are not high but should have a light elastic quality.
Entrechat
Interweaving or braiding. A step of beating in which the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses the legs before and behind each other. Enterchat are counted from two to ten according to the number of crossing required and counting each crossing as two movements, one by each leg: that is, in an enterchat quatre each leg makes two distinct movments.
Epaulement
Shouldering, The placing of the shoulders in relation to the head. A term used to indicate a movement of the torso from the waist upward, bringing one shoulder forward and the other back with the head turned or inclined over the forward shoulder. The two fundamental position of epaulement are croise and efface.
Face, en
Opposite (of the audience) Facing the audience.
Failli
Giving way or follow through. A fleeting movement done on one count. A change of weight going through a chasse.
Ferme
Closed. Indicates that both feet are in a closed position or that the feet at the end of a step brought to a closed position.
Fondu
to melt. A term used to describe a lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting leg. Fondu is on one leg what a plie is on two.
Frappe
Struck. An exercise in which the dancer forcefully extends the working leg from a flexed or pointed cou-de-pied position to the front, side, or back. This exercise strengthens the toes and in steps and develops the power of elevationn.
Fouette
Whipped. A term applied to a whipping movement. There are great variety of fouettes. i.e. fouette turns, or fouette jumps. To stand on one leg and to change the hip and body direction while keeping the leg in the same place. Can also be done in the air.
Fouette rond de jambe en tournant
A turn made by using a fouette. for each turn the dancer stands momentarily on flat foot and in plie, as the working leg is extended in the fourth position en l’air front the whipped around to the side as the working foot is pulled in to touch behind the supporting knee. That creates the impetus to spin on turn as the dancer executes a releve, rising onto pointe. Don properly, the dancer remains in place.
Glissade
Glide. A traveling step executed by gliding the working foot from a demi plie in the fifth position to the required direction, the other foot closing to it.
Jete
Throwing. 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 wide variety of jetes and they may be performed in all directions
Ouvert
Open, opened. This may refer to position, limps, directions, or certain exercises or steps.
Pas de basque
Basque step. A characteristic step of the national dances of the Basque that has been adapted to ballet use. There are two types of basque: pas de basque glisse, which is done close to the floor, and pas de basque saute, which is jumped
Pas de bouree
Changing step. Three steps moving back, side front or in reverse.
Pas de bouree couru
Running bourree. This is a progression on the pointe or demi-pointe by a series of small even steps with the feet close together.
Pas de chat
Cat’s step. This is a jumping step that owes its name to the likeness of movements to a cat’s leap.
Pas de cheval
Horse’s step. This step is so called because it resembles that movement of a horse pawing the ground.
Passe
Passed. This is an auxiliary movement in which the foot of the working leg passes the knee of the supporting leg from on position to another.
Penche
Leaning, inclined. For example, in arabesque penche.
Pique
Pricked, pricking. To prick the floor or to step on a straight leg as in pique arabesque or pique turns.
Pique turn
Pique turning. This is a pirouette in which the dancer steps directly onto the pointe or demi-pointe. Pirouettes are performed en dedans, turning inward toward the standing leg, or en dehors, turning outward in the direction of the raised leg. Correct body placement is essential in all kinds of pirouettes.
Plie
Bent, bending. As an exercise, it develops and strengthens the turn-out, renders the joints and muscles pliable, the tendons flexible and elastic, and always used in jumping for strong take-off and cushioning landing.
Port de bras
Carriage of the arms. The term port de bras has two meanings: 1- A movement or series of movements made by passing the arm or arms through various position. The passage of the arms from one position to the other constitutes a port de bra. 2- A term for a group of exercises designed to make the arms move gracefully and harmoniously.
Promenade
Turn in a walk. A term of the French school used to indicate that the dancer turns slowly in a place on one foot by series of slight movements of the heel to the required side while maintaining a definite pose such as an arabesque or attitude.
Releve
Raised. A raising of the body on the pointes or demi pointes. There are two ways to releve. In the french school, releve is done with a smooth continuous rise while the Cecchetti method and the Russian school use a little spring.
Retire
With drawn, resting. A position in which the thigh is raised to the second position en l’air with knee bent so that the pointed toe rests in front of, behind or to the side of the supporting knee.
Ronde de jambe a terre
Round of the leg on the ground. A circular movmemnt of the leg either en dehors, or en dedans
Ronde de jambe en l’air
Roudn of the leg in the air. A circular movement of the leg in the air either en dehors or en dedans.
Royal
A changement in which the calves are beaten together before the feet change position. also termed change battu
Saut de basque
Basque jump. A traveling step in which the dancer turns in the air with one foot drawn up to the knee, retire, or coupe position of the other leg.
Saute
Jumped, jumping. When this term is added to the name of a step the movement is performed while jumping.
Seconde, a la
To the second. A term used to describe that the foot is to be placed in the second position or that a movement is to be made in the second position in the air.
Serre
Tight close. For example, in petite battement serres
Sissonne
named for the originator of the step. It is a jump from both feet onto one foot with both feet usually performed traveling in either a croise or efface direction and landing on both feet.
Soubresaut
sudden spring or bound. A springing jump from both feet hitting a sous-sus position in the air and landing on two feet.
Sous-sus
Under-over. A term of the Cecchetti method. The dancer springs onto the points or demi-pointes, drawing the feet close together.
Soutenu
Sustained. A half or full turn in fifth position, on two straight legs.
Temps de fleche
Hitch kick. From fifth position, fifth perform a grand battement with the front leg, then a second with the back leg before the leg alights. the legs pass each in the air.
Temps leve
Time raised, or raising movement. the dancer, after a demi-plie, jumps in the air and then lands with the feet in the same position as they started. It can also be performed from one foot, while the other keeps the same position it had before starting the jump.
Temps lie
Connected movement. It teaches the control and balance in transmitting the weight of the body from position to another with a smooth, rhythmical movement.
Tendu
Stretched. The working foot slides from the first to the fifth position to the second or fourth position without lifting the toe from the ground. Both knees must be kept straight.
Tombe
Falling. This is a movement in which the dancer, with the working leg raised in the air, falls forward, backward, or sideways onto the fondue on the working leg i.e. tombe pas de bouree
Tour en l’air
Turn in the air. It is a turn in the air in which the dancer rises straight into the air from a demi-plie, makes a complete turn and lands in the fifth position with the feet reversed.
Tour jete, Jete en tournant en arriere
(Cecchettie method)- Large throw. Large jete turning and moving backward usually preceded by a chasse. Same as jete entrelace. (Russian school)
Cecchettie method
Enrico Cecchettie, on of the world’s outsid
