Vocab terms

Question 1

Body Alignment

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

Plie’
Demi
Grande

Answer 2

To bend.

half,

full. Knees over toes!

Question 3

Turn out

Answer 3

Outward rotation with the legs initiated from the hips.

Question 4

Eleve’

Answer 4

A rise to the balls of the feet beginning in a straight position.

Question 5

Releve’

Answer 5

A rise to the balls of the feet beginning in plie’.

Question 6

Flat back position

Answer 6

Drop the hips, pushing lower back toward floor.

Question 7

Tendu

Answer 7

To stretch the leg by pushing the foot into and along the floor, to a point position.

Question 8

Degage’

Answer 8

Disengaged. The foot is in tendu position brushing off the floor 2 to 4 inches.

Question 9

Grande Battement

Answer 9

Large beat or kick. Straight Grande Battement goes through Tendu, Degage’ to its highest extension, making sure leg is in Turn-out.

Question 10

Syncopation

Answer 10

A trademark of Jazz Dance. Places the accent on normally unaccented beats of the measure.

Question 11

Isolations

Answer 11

Another trademark of Jazz: the separate movement of one body part (head, shoulders, rib cage, hips).

Question 12

Contraction

Answer 12

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.

Question 13

Jazz walks

Answer 13

Ball before heel, stylized steps.

Question 14

Jazz Slide or Drag

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

Chasse’

Answer 15

To chase. The back leg chasses the front leg, step-together-step.

Question 16

3-step turn

Answer 16

To step side, turn 1/2 and step, open up and step side again.

Question 17

Jazz Square

Answer 17

To cross front, step side/back, step side, step cross front.

Question 18

Pas de bourre’

Answer 18

Quick step. Cross-side-side. Alternating weight, 3 steps syncopated. Can be traveled front, back, side, half turns, full turns.

Question 19

Pivot Turn

Answer 19

An “about face” turn from one direction to the opposite, using balls of feet.

Question 20

Saute’

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

Coupe’

Answer 21

A position where working foot is placed at the neck of the supporting leg. Also, a movement meaning “to cut”.

Question 22

Passe’

Answer 22

To pass. Working leg at 90 degree angle, toes connected to inside (parallel) or side (turned out) of supporting knee.

Question 23

Pirouette

Answer 23

A turn on one leg. Supporting leg in Releve’, working leg in Passe’.

Question 24

En dehors

Answer 24

The term for the direction Outside or away from the supporting leg.

Question 25

Port de bra

Answer 25

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.

Question 26

Third position (legs)

Answer 26

heel of front foot at instep of back foot.

Question 27

Fourth position (legs)

Answer 27

To take a step forward from 3rd or 5th (pirouette prep position).

Question 28

Attitude position

Answer 28

Working leg at 90 degree angle in an open position, well turned out.

Question 29

Developpe’

Answer 29

To develop the extension (working leg goes through coupe’ position, Passe’, Attitude position).

Question 30

Hinge Position

Answer 30

To push pelvis forward, keeping correct body alignment.

Question 31

En Dedans

Answer 31

The term for inside (as in pirouettes).

Question 32

Jete’

Answer 32

To leap from one leg to the other leg.

Question 33

Modern Decent

Answer 33

Half split to floor.

Question 34

Pique’

Answer 34

To step directly to half point (balls of feet).