Vocab terms Flashcards
Body Alignment
Correct body alignment involves proper hip (tucked), back (straight), rib cage (lifted), and shoulders (pressed down) placement, spine alignment, engaged core and understanding where your center is.
Plie’
Demi
Grande
To bend.
half,
full. Knees over toes!
Turn out
Outward rotation with the legs initiated from the hips.
Eleve’
A rise to the balls of the feet beginning in a straight position.
Releve’
A rise to the balls of the feet beginning in plie’.
Flat back position
Drop the hips, pushing lower back toward floor.
Tendu
To stretch the leg by pushing the foot into and along the floor, to a point position.
Degage’
Disengaged. The foot is in tendu position brushing off the floor 2 to 4 inches.
Grande Battement
Large beat or kick. Straight Grande Battement goes through Tendu, Degage’ to its highest extension, making sure leg is in Turn-out.
Syncopation
A trademark of Jazz Dance. Places the accent on normally unaccented beats of the measure.
Isolations
Another trademark of Jazz: the separate movement of one body part (head, shoulders, rib cage, hips).
Contraction
A sharp movement from side to side, or front to back with the rib cage. Also, the concentration of the torso where it’s concave – or like the sensation of being “socked” in the stomach. The stomach is hallowed, shoulders lined over hips, lower back rounded, pelvis forward.
Jazz walks
Ball before heel, stylized steps.
Jazz Slide or Drag
Initiated by displacing a hip and pulling the body along. Usually done in turned out position with the arms out at second position and the body tilted away from the displaced hip.
Chasse’
To chase. The back leg chasses the front leg, step-together-step.
3-step turn
To step side, turn 1/2 and step, open up and step side again.
Jazz Square
To cross front, step side/back, step side, step cross front.
Pas de bourre’
Quick step. Cross-side-side. Alternating weight, 3 steps syncopated. Can be traveled front, back, side, half turns, full turns.
Pivot Turn
An “about face” turn from one direction to the opposite, using balls of feet.
Saute’
Hop. One leg to same leg. Other leg can be in many different positions (2nd, passe’, arabesque), also - initial leg can tuck during height of jump.
Coupe’
A position where working foot is placed at the neck of the supporting leg. Also, a movement meaning “to cut”.
Passe’
To pass. Working leg at 90 degree angle, toes connected to inside (parallel) or side (turned out) of supporting knee.
Pirouette
A turn on one leg. Supporting leg in Releve’, working leg in Passe’.
En dehors
The term for the direction Outside or away from the supporting leg.
Port de bra
Carriage of the arms. Based on ballet positions. Second position (arms to the side spread outward), Low 5th, Middle 5th (default turn position) high 5th and 4th.
Third position (legs)
heel of front foot at instep of back foot.
Fourth position (legs)
To take a step forward from 3rd or 5th (pirouette prep position).
Attitude position
Working leg at 90 degree angle in an open position, well turned out.
Developpe’
To develop the extension (working leg goes through coupe’ position, Passe’, Attitude position).
Hinge Position
To push pelvis forward, keeping correct body alignment.
En Dedans
The term for inside (as in pirouettes).
Jete’
To leap from one leg to the other leg.
Modern Decent
Half split to floor.
Pique’
To step directly to half point (balls of feet).
