Vocab Flashcards
The ability of the dancer to turn his or her feet and legs out from the hip joints to a 90 degree to 180 degree position
Turnout
Organization of the body, bones, muscles and joints in relation to dance
Alignment
Part of the dancers alignment the dancer must stay balanced through a center line, running up and down the mid line of the torso on two feet and on one
Centering
Poorly aligned foot compared to the alignment of the knee cap
Sickled foot
Bending movement of the legs
Plié
What are two forms of plié
Demi- half bend
Grande- whole or deep bend
Stretch or stretched in the working foot extends along the floor until the foot/toes are fully pointed
Tendu
To rise without plié
Eleve
Lifted rising to the balls of the feet with plié
Releve
Tendu which releases from the floor. Usually done with accent to the start position
Dégagé
Exercise done in the shape of a cross or in all directions
En croix
In front or the the front
Devant
In back or to the back
Derrière
To the side
A la seconde
The body is placed at an oblique angle to the audience and down stage leg crossed in front.
Croise
Open or not crossed to the audience while standing at an oblique angle. The upstage leg is crossed in front.
Efface
Separated or wide apart (position of the body)
Ecarte
Shouldered or the body is drawn in a way where the back is slightly visible shoulders slightly diagonal
Epaule
Opposite to the audience or facing the audience straight on
En face
Withdrawing of the gesture for from the floor until it touches the front side or back of the supporting knee.
Retire
To pass or when retire travels from front to back in a passing motion
Passé
Big or large beats. Working leg is raised from hip into the air and brought down again through tendu
Grande battement
Escaped or relive made with a slight spring. Usually with the feet starting in fifth and ending in second
Eachappe
Carriage of the arms or series of movements made by passing the arms through various positions
Port de bras
Arched body bends from waist backward or forwards with head following the movement
Cambre
Carriage of the body forward bend at the hip joints
Port de corps
Penche
To strike or struck. Basis for allegro steps especially jete.
Frappe
Static position
Sur le cou-de-pied
Circle or round of the leg
Rond de jambe
Outward or from the front to the back
En dehors
Inward or from the back to the front
En dedans
On the ground or touching the floor
A terre
In the air or off the floor
En l’ air
To cut. Step involving one foot cutting the other in order to replace it
Coupe
Forward direction of a step moving towards the audience
En avant
Backwards direction of a step moving away from the audience
En arriere
Sideways step either right or left
De cote
Chased. Step in which one foot chases the other foot out of its position
Chasse or glisse
Small beat performed in sur le cou-di-pied
Petit battement
Prick or pricking. The step exacted by stepping directly on the point or Demi point on the working foot in a direction or position with other foot raised in the air
Pique
To fall. The working leg is raised in the air and falls in any direction into a fondu on the working leg
Tombe
Three movements either three shifts of weight or two shifts of weight with a closing to a position
Pas de bouree
To melt or sinking down the lowering of the body by bending the supporting leg
Fondu
To develop or developed, the gesture leg is slowly drawn up to retire position and extended to open position 45 degrees or higher to either front or back
Developee
