100 (more or less)
Common Ballet Terms Defined
Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 by Thomas
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==A==
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adage [Italian ad agio: "at ease"; the
musical direction, adagio, means "slow."]. The second part of
a ballet class: slow work with emphasis on sustained positions and on
balance.
allegro [Italian: "happy"; in music,
"fast"]. The third part of a ballet class: fast work, jumps,
turns. Usually divided into petit ["little"] allegro and grand
["big"] allegro.
allongé ["elongated"]. With the
arms stretched out as far as possible.
arabesque ["Arabic"]. A pose with one
leg stretched straight out to the back and one arm usually stretched out
to the front. The back leg may be on the floor or at 45, 90, or 135 degrees.
(These angles are measured from the vertical; 90 degrees means parallel
to the floor.)
assemblé ["assembled"]. A jump:
plié, brushing working leg out. Jump. Bring both legs together
("assemble" them) into fifth position while in midair; land
on both feet. The brush can be to the front, the side, or the back.
attitude ["attitude"]. A pose. As with
the arabesque, the working leg is raised. But unlike the arabesque, it
is bent, not straight, and, also unlike the arabesque, it can be done
to the front, the side, or the back. In attitude to the front or the back,
if the angle is 90 degrees, the calf should be as nearly horizontal as
possible.
==B==
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balancé ["rocking"]. A waltz step.
For a balancé to the right, start in fifth position. On count of
1-2-3, right foot goes out to the side and the weight is transferred to
it (1). Immediately bring left foot behind right and and transfer the
weight to the ball of the left foot while rising up on it (2). Put your
weight back on the right foot flat on the floor (not raised up) (3). A
balancé to one side is almost always followed by a balancé
to the other side. Balancés can also be done to the front and back
or turning.
balançoire. Short for battements en balançoire,
["battements like a seesaw"]. The dancer swings the working
leg vigorously back and forth between fourth position front and fourth
back, through first position. Unlike grand battements en cloche, balançoires
do not require that the body be held straight.
ballon ["balloon"]. The appearance of
weightlessness and of being airborne. A dancer is said to have ballon
if (s)he seems to be in the air constantly with only momentary contact
with the floor.
ballonné ["ball-like"]. A jump.
From 5th position, right foot front, demi-plié while the right
foot glides to 2nd position at 45 degrees. Jump with left while travelling
in the air towards the right foot. Land on left foot with the right having
come in to the position sur le cou-de-pied front. Repeat by throwing the
right foot out to the side again from the position sur le cou-de-pied.
Can be done in many different directions.
ballotté ["tossed"]. A jump. Begin
in 5th, right leg front. Spring straight upward with both legs held tightly
together, as the body begins to tilt slightly backward at the apex of
the jump. The body lands on the left foot while the right is thrown open
to the front. Repeat backwards, with a slight tilt to the front at the
apex of the jump.
Can also be done with bent knees, as the working
leg goes through rétiré position front (to go forward).
In this case the repeat may start by the left leg jumping up while the
right comes back in to join it; the left leg then bending to bring the
foot through rétiré back before thrusting backwards as the
body lands on the right leg.
barre ["bar"]. 1. The railing, about
waist high, along the wall of a studio. Used by dancers as for steadying
themselves in the first part of a class. 2. The first part of ballet class,
consisting of exercises done with the aid of the barre.
battement ["beating"]. A generic term
for various movements in which the leg is extended and then returned.
See grand battement and petit battement. This is also one of those words
(like pas and temps) that are frequently omitted and understood; thus,
for example, frappé is short for battement frappé, etc.
In this list, look under the second word (e.g.,, under frappé,
not under battement frappé. The only exception to this is battement
tendu.
battement tendu ["stretched beat"]. ("Tendu"
for short.) Slide the working foot out until only the toes are touching
the floor; then slide it back. An important exercise for learning to move
the foot quickly and gracefully while maintaining placement. Balanchine
considered it the most important exercise in all of ballet.
==C==
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cambré ["bent"]. A bend from the
waist in any direction, but especially forward or back.
chaîné turns. Short for tours chaînées
déboulés, "chained, rolling turns." Fast turns
on half or full point with the legs in a tight first position, rotating
a half turn on one foot and the other half on the other foot. Done one
after the other so they're "chained" together.
changement (short for changement de pieds ["change
of the feet"]). A jump, straight up, starting from fifth position
with one foot in front and landing in fifth position with the other foot
in front.
chassé ["chased"]. A gliding step.
The working leg slides out; put weight on working leg and draw other leg
along floor to it. (In American folk dancing, this word was mispronounced,
giving rise to the term "sashay.")
ciseaux ["scissors"]. Opening the legs,
like the blades of a pair of scissors, to a wide second position; may
be jumped. Not to be confused with sissonne.
class (in French, also leçon ["lesson"]).
A ballet class is a carefully graded sequence of exercises lasting, typically,
an hour and a half. The work falls into three parts. The first part consists
of stretching and warming-up exercises done with the support of the barre.
You may spend anywhere from forty minutes to an hour at the barre. Then
you move to the center of the studio to work without support. The second
part of class, called adage, consists of slow work in which the emphasis
is on sustaining positions and on balance. The final part of class, allegro,
consists of fast work, mostly combinations (sequences of steps) with the
big jumps and turns that make ballet such an impressive and dazzling sight.
combination. A series of steps linked together,
usually as an exercise in class.
cou-de-pied ["neck of the foot"]. The
thinnest part of the calf, just above the ankle.
cou-de-pied, sur le ["on the neck of the foot"].
A position. A foot is sur le cou-de-pied if it is placed on the the calf
just above the ankle. In the Russian school, the foot is actually wrapped
around the ankle, with the heel forward and the toes back. It may be placed
on the front of the calf in this position, at the side, or in back. The
back position is sometimes called, incorrectly, coupé.
coupé ["cut"]. A linking step
in which the working foot displaces the supporting foot (cuts it away).
Sometimes used, incorrectly, for the position sur le cou-de-pied in back
or, less often, in front.
croisé ["crossed"]. A position
on stage in which the dancer faces one of the front corners with the legs
crossed. In croisé devant, the downstage leg is in fourth position
to the front; in croisé derrière, the upstage leg is in
fourth position to the back.
croix, en ["in (the form of) a cross"].
Usually applied to exercises at the barre: the exercise is done first
with the working leg moving to the front, then to the side, then to the
back, and then to the (same) side again.
==D==
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dedans, en ["inward"]. Used to describe
motion toward the front of the body. In a pirouette en dedans, the dancer
turns so the raised leg rotates toward the front. In a rond de jambe en
dedans, the working leg moves in a half-circle from the back toward the
front.
dégagé ["disengaged"].
A movement or position in which the working leg is lifted off the floor.
dehors, en ["outward"]. Used to describe
motion away from the front of the body. In a pirouette en dehors, the
dancer turns so the raised leg rotates away from the front. In a rond
de jambe en dehors, the working leg moves in a half-circle away from the
front toward the back.
derrière ["behind"]. Directed
behind the body. À la quatrième derrière is with
the leg pointing back from the body.
dessous ["under"]. Describes motion of
the working foot under (i.e., behind) the supporting foot. English speakers
have trouble with the difference between the French -ou- and -u-, so they
tend to use "under" and "over" in preference to dessous
and dessus.
dessus ["over"]. Describes motion of
the working foot over (i.e., in front of) the supporting foot. English
speakers have trouble with the difference between the French -ou- and
-u-, so they tend to use "under" and "over" in preference
to dessous and dessus.
détourné ["turned aside"].
A smooth turn made by pivoting on the toes in relevé.
devant ["ahead"]. Directed in front of
the body. À la quatrième devant is with the leg pointing
ahead of the body.
developpé ["developed"]. A movement
in which the working leg is drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg
and from there smoothly out to a position in the air, usually at 90 degrees
(i.e., parallel to the floor).
==E==
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écarté ["separated"]. A
position on stage in which the dancer faces one of the front corners with
the working leg in second position, either on or off the floor. The body
is tilted slightly away from the working leg. The arm on the side of the
working leg is raised; the arm on the side of the supporting leg is in
second. If the working leg and raised arm are downstage (toward the audience),
this is écarté devant; if they are upstage, this is écarté
derrière.
échappé ["escaped"]. A
movement in which the legs move from fifth position out to second position
or, occasionally, to fourth position.
effacé ["effaced"]. A position
on stage in which the dancer faces one of the downstage corners with the
legs crossed, upstage leg forward. The downstage arm is usually raised
in this position, so that the face is shaded, or effaced; hence the name.
élancer ["to dart"]. One of Noverre's
seven movements (see movements.)
elevation. The ability to jump high in the air.
A step of elevation is a jump.
emboité ["boxed"]. A jump. Start
in 5th; assume the right leg is in front. Jump up, bend the right leg
to 45 degrees. Land on the right foot with the left leg slightly bent
and the left foot in front of the right ankle. The feet fit closely together,
like a lid on a box; hence the name. Usually repeated to the other side:
jump off right foot onto the left and land with right foot in front of
the left ankle. This movement is often done while turning and travelling.
en face ["facing"]. A position on stage
facing directly forward, toward the audience.
en l'air ["in the air"]. Used to describe
movements in which the working leg is raised a considerable distance off
the ground. Antonym: terre-à-terre.
enchaînement ["chaining"]. A series
of steps linked (chained) together.
entrechat ["braided, interwoven"]. A
jump in which the dancer's legs cross each other--from fifth in front
to fifth in back--several times in the air. The number of crossings is
indicated by a number after the word, and each crossing is counted twice
(once for going out from fifth and once for returning to fifth). In even-numbered
entrechats, the dancer lands on both feet, in fifth. In odd- numbered
ones, the dancer lands with one foot sur le cou-de-pied. For example,
in entrechat quatre the dancer starts in fifth position. If the right
foot is in front, he jumps, changes his feet to left foot in front and
back, and lands with the right foot in front again. (I suppose you could
call a simple changement an entrechat deux, but I've never heard this.)
épaulement ["shouldering"]. Rotation
of the shoulders and head (relative to the hips) to add beauty or expressiveness
to a pose, step, or movement.
étendre ["to stretch"]. One of
Noverre's seven movements (see movements).
extension. The ability to raise the working leg
high in the air. Good extension comes from a combination of inborn flexibility
and training.
==F==
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failli ["giving way"]. 5th position,
right foot front. Demi-plié, jump up vertically, feet together.
Turn the body efface in the air. The body is lowered into demi-plié
on the right foot, while the left leg, fully extended, is opened to 45
degrees in effacé back. Without hesitation, the left foot glides
through first position and ends in croisé in demi-plié.
feet, positions of. There are five basic positions
of the feet in ballet. 1: feet in line with heels together; 2. feet in
line, heels apart (separated by about the length of one's foot); 3. feet
touching, one foot in front of the other and overlapping by about half
the length of the foot; 4. feet apart, separated about the length of a
foot, one foot in front of the other; 5. feet touching, one foot in front,
heel to toe and toe to heel. In a Cecchetti fifth, the feet do not overlap
completely; in a Russian fifth, they do. Fourth position is sometimes
qualified as an open fourth (like first position except for the separation
of the feet) and a closed fourth (like fifth position except for the separation
of the feet). In the following sketches, o---- represents the foot and
o is the heel:
1. ----oo---- 2. ----o o----
3. o---- o----
----o 4. (open)
----o
o----
4. (closed) 5. o----
----o ----o
fondu ["melted"]. Any movement that lowers
the body by bending one leg. In a plié, both legs support the body;
in a fondu, only one leg supports the body.
fouetté ["whipped
turn"]. Typically, a movement in which the working leg is brushed
vigorously either forward or backward. You then use the inertia of the
leg to turn the body around, so that the body turns 180 degrees away from
the leg, which remains where it was.
fouetté en tournant ["turning fouetté"].
A turn in which a whipping motion of the working leg makes the body go
round. Usually but not always done en dehors, which is the description
that follows. The working leg opens to 2nd position at 45 degrees. The
working leg whips in behind the calf of the supporting leg, while the
arms come in, the body turns en dehors, and the supporting leg rises to
releve. Quickly, the working foot is brought to the front of the calf
and is opened to 2nd at 45 degrees while the working foot is lowered into
demi-plié. While in this position, the arms open to second in preparation
for a repeat of the movement. When you hear of "32 fouettés"
in Swan Lake or some other ballet, this is what they mean.
frappé ["struck"], in full, battement
frappé, "struck beat". Working foot rests lightly on
the ankle of the supporting foot. Throw the working leg forcefully out
to a dégagé position so that it strikes the floor 1/3 of
the way out. Hold the leg out as long as possible, returning it to its
initial position at the last moment. (Russian frappés start in
tendu, darting to the supporting leg and back out again.) Can be done
to the front, side, or back.
==G==
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glissade ["glide"]. A connecting step.
Start in plié; move the right foot out to pointe tendu; then move
onto that leg, closing the left foot and landing in plié. Can be
done in any direction.
glisser ["to glide"]. One of Noverre's
seven movements (see movements).
grand battement ["big beat"]. A "kick"
in which the working leg is raised as high as possible while keeping the
rest of the body still. "Kick" is in quotes because the battement
should be a controlled lift, not a throwing of the leg into the air, and
the leg must be controlled while coming down. The kicks one associates
with a chorus line are grands battements. There's a terrific grand battement
in W. C. Fields's short, "The Fatal Glass of Beer"--not (unfortunately)
executed by Fields himself.
grand battement en cloche ["grand battement
like a bell"]. Grand battements in which the leg swings continually
between fourth position front and fourth position in back, the body being
held erect.
grand jeté ["big thrown (step)"].
A long horizontal jump, usually forward, starting from one leg and landing
on the other. In the middle of the jump, the dancer may be doing a split
in midair. One of the most memorable of all ballet jumps; the dancer seems
to float in the air, as a result of the shift of his center of gravity
from the split.
==H==
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==I==
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==J==
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jeté ["thrown"]. A jump from one
foot to the other foot, throwing the working leg out. See petit jete and
grand jete.
jeté en tournant (see
Tour Guide). The dancer leaps and makes a half-turn
in midair before landing.
jumps. Jumps have been classified as follows: (1)
from both feet to both feet (e.g. changements); (2) from both feet to
one foot (e.g. sissonnes); (3) from one foot to both feet (e.g., assemblés);
(4) from one foot to the same foot (e.g., temps levés); (5) from
one foot to the other foot (e.g., jetés).
==K==
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==L==
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==M==
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movements (Noverre's seven).
Noverre (1727-1810, a dancer and ballet master whose writings revolutionized
ballet) analyzed all balletic movements into seven basic categories. These
are: plier, to bend; étendre, to stretch; relever, to rise; sauter,
to leap; élancer, to dart; glisser, to glide; and tourner, to turn.
==N==
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==O==
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opposition. Movement (or position) of the arms
in opposite direction to movement (or position) of the legs--as we move
our arms when we walk.
==P==
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pas. A step. Many of the common names of steps
in ballet are adjectives (or participles) instead of nouns; these names
have the word "pas" understood: thus, for example, "coupé"
(which everybody says) is actually short for "pas coupé"
["cut step"] (which nobody says). Also used to refer to a dance,
as pas de deux, a dance for two; pas de quatre, a dance for four.
pas de Basque ["Basque step"]. Starts
in 5th position; assume right foot front. On the upbeat, demi-plié;
the right foot glides forward in croisé and continues with a demi-rond
de jambe en dehors to the side, while the left foot remains in plié.
A small jump occurs onto the right foot in demi-plié. The left
foot now glides through 1st position into croisé forward. On the
final count, the weight is transferred to the left foot and a small jump
is made to bring the feet together where the left one was placed. The
movement finishes in 5th croisé.
pas de bourrée ["bourrée step,"
the bourrée being an old folk dance]. This term has at least two
meanings. 1. One of the simplest connecting steps, used to link other
steps in a combination. The commonest form is probably the pas de bourrée
dessous. Assume your right foot is in front: left foot on half pointe;
step on it and put your weight on it; move the right foot to the side,
transfer your weight to it (also in relevé); move the left foot
to the front of the right and put your weight on both feet in a plié.
2. (properly called pas de bourrée couru, "running pas de
bourrée" or pas de bourrée suivi, "followed pas
de bourrée"). A gliding movement by a dancer on pointe consisting
of many very small steps taken with the feet close together. When a dancer
uses bourrée as a verb ("Then you bourrée downstage"),
she usually means pas de bourrée couru.
pas de chat ["step of the cat"]. A jump.
Leap off the left leg, starting from a plié and raising the right
leg into retiré. In midair, raise the left leg into retiré,
too, so your legs form a diamond shape in the air. Land on the right leg
with the left leg still in retiré; then bring it down, landing
in another plié. In the famous dance in Swan Lake in which the
four cygnets dance with interlaced arms, they do sixteen pas de chat.
pas de cheval ["step of the horse"].
Starting with the working leg in pointe tendu, draw it along the floor
back to the supporting leg; then, without pausing, move it up to cou-de-pied
and back out to pointe tendu in a small developpé. The step resembles
the pawing of a horse.
pas de deux (steps for two)
(see Partnering). A male and a female dancer must
work together as a unit, with each extending the other's individual capabilities.
The man extends the woman's ability to defy gravity. She allows him to
extend his line and show off his strength.
passé ["passed"]. A movement in
which the pointed foot of the working leg is made to pass the knee of
the supporting leg. Frequently used--incorrectly--as a synonym for retiré.
penché ["leaning"]. A tilting
of the body to achieve an exteme picture. An example is when the dancer
is in an arabesque at 90 degrees. She then pushes her working leg upward
and over, pushing the body down towards the supporting leg to achieve
a much greater angle between legs, often resulting in a 180-degree split.
petit battement ["little beat"]. An exercise
for speed and agility in the lower leg. In the starting position, the
working leg is sur le cou-de-pied. It opens in the direction of 2nd position
but only half way, as the leg does not fully extend at the knee. The working
leg then closes to sur le cou-de-pied opposite of where it started (in
back if it started in front and vice versa). Done repeatedly, back and
front. The knee and thigh of the working leg stay in the same place and
do not move during the exercise.
petit jeté ["little jump"]. A
jump: brush the working foot out, hop off the supporting leg, and land
on the working foot with the other foot sur le cou-de-pied behind. Can
be done to the front, the side, or the back.
pirouette ["spin"]. A complete turn on
one leg. The dancer usually goes round more than once. The raised leg
is most commonly held in rétiré, but pirouettes with the
leg in other positions are not uncommon. If the direction of the turn
rotates the raised leg away from the front of the body, the pirouette
is en dehors; if it rotates the leg toward the front, it is en dedans.
The dancer spots (see "spotting") in order
to avoid becoming disoriented. Pirouettes are usually fast, but supported
pirouettes, in which a partner steadies the soloist, may be done very
slowly.
placement. Roughly, alignment of the body. Becoming
properly placed means learning to stand up straight, with hips level and
even, shoulders open but relaxed and centered over the hips, pelvis straight
(neither protruding nor tucked under), back straight, head up, weight
centered evenly between the feet. This posture is frequently described
as "pulled up," but it is also a relaxed posture; you aren't
tensed up like a soldier standing at attention. (A teacher once said you
should imagine that you are suspended by a thread attached to the top
of your head. This suggests both the "pulled-up" and relaxed
aspects of good ballet posture.) And as you dance, you seek to maintain
this posture except when the step requires something different, like épaulement,
or like the slight forward arch of the spine that accompanies an arabesque.
plier ["to bend"]. One of Noverre's seven
movements (see movements).
plié ["bent"]. Knee bends, done
with the legs turned out. Normally the first exercise in a ballet class.
Demi-plié ["half-bent"] is a shallow bend (in all positions
but second, as far down as you can go without lifting the heels off the
floor); grand plié ["big plié"] is a deep bend,
down to where the thighs are almost horizontal. In all positions except
second, the heels release from the floor in a grand plié.
pointe ["point"] (demi ["half"],
quarter, three-quarter, sur les pointes ["on the points"]).
The point of the foot. Demi-pointe, etc., refer to how far the heel is
raised off the floor in a relevé. Definitions vary, but this will
do for starters: quarter point is with the heel just off the floor; three-quarter
point is a straight line from the knee to the ball of the foot. Demi pointe
is half way between. Sur les pointes, or "on pointe," is on
the tips of the toes--literally. Children should not be allowed to go
on pointe until the bones of their feet are fully developed--typically
about the age of 11 or 12.
pointe tendu ["stretched point (of the foot)"].
A position in which the working leg is stretched straight out in any direction
with only the tip of the foot touching the floor.
port de bras ["carriage of the arms"].
1. How a dancer uses his arms. 2. Specific movements of the arms, as first
port de bras, second port de bras, etc. 3. Sometimes used instead of cambré.
A grand port de bras is a circular bend, either toward the barre, then
down, then up away from the barre, and then backward and back toward the
barre: or the same thing in the opposite direction.
positions: see feet, positions of and arms, positions
of.
positions on stage. See: Croisé, effacé,
en face, écarté.
promenade ["walk"]. A pivot turn in which
the dancer moves slowly around by shifting the heel of the supporting
leg. The rest of the body may be in arabesque or attitude. In a supported
promenade, the partner turns the soloist.
==Q==
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quatrième ["fourth"]. Fourth position.
(See feet, positions of and arms, positions of.)
quatrième, à la ["in the fourth"].
À la quatrième devant is with the working leg stretched
out to the front; à la quatrième derrière is with
the working leg stretched to the back.
==R==
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relever ["to rise"]. One of Noverre's
seven movements (see movements).
relevé ["raised"]. A movement
in which the heels are raised off the floor. The rise may be smooth or
aided by a slight spring, depending on the school. A dancer in such a
position is said to be "in relevé."
retiré ["withdrawn"]. A position
in which the working foot is drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg.
Also frequently (and incorrectly) called passé.
rond de jambe ["circular movement of the leg"].
A movement in which the working leg is made to describe a letter D about
the supporting leg. May be done with the working foot on the floor or
in the air. In a rond de jambe en dehors ("outward") on the
floor, the working leg moves from first (or fifth) position to pointe
tendu forward, makes a half circle to pointe tendu in back, and then returns
to first, if the rond de jambe is to be repeated, and otherwise to first
or fifth. A wonderful exercise for turnout. In a rond de jambe en dedans
("inward"), the direction of movement is reversed. In a demi
rond de jambe, the working leg goes only half-way around, stopping in
second position. A grand rond de jambe, is executed with the supporting
leg in plié. A rond de jambe en l'air ("in the air")
is done with the working leg raised off the floor, frequently at an angle
of 90 degrees (parallel to the floor).
==S==
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sauter ["to leap"]. One of Noverre's
seven movements (see movements).
seconde, à la ["in second"]. In
second position, i.e., to the side. (See feet, positions of and arms,
positions of.)
sissonne [Named for its inventor]. A type of jump
that has several forms, among them: sissonne simple, sissonne ouverte,
sissonne fermée, sissonne fondue, and others. Not to be confused
with ciseaux.
In sissonne simple, the most elementary form, the
movement begins in 5th position. Jump straight up, with the legs together
and the feet pointed. Land on one foot in demi-plié, with the other
foot sur le cou-de-pied either in front or back (corresponding to whether
the foot sur le cou-de-pied began in front or back--it does not change).
soubresaut ["sudden leap"]. A jump from
both feet to both feet. Beginning in 5th croisé, the feet push
off the floor so that the body flies forward with feet pointed and legs
together. Before the jump, the body inclines forward, and then during
the jump bends forcefully back, so that the legs remain at the back. The
movement ends in 5th croisé. The arms are free and depend only
on the design of what is being sought after; when studying, they usually
begin in preparatory, come up to first during the jump, and end in preparatory
again.
sous-sus ["under-over"] (or sus-sous
["over-under"]). A relevé in a tight fifth position with
one foot almost on top of the other.
soutenu ["sustained"]. (a) Performed
smoothly and slowly. (b) Also used to indicate a smooth détourné.
For (a), can be: where from 5th position, the working leg is taken out
to the front, 2nd position, or to the back, while the supporting leg is
lowers to demi-plié. Then the supporting leg rises to demi or full
pointe while the working leg is drawn into it, ending in a tight sus-sous
position.
spotting. A technique for for
keeping oriented and avoiding dizziness during turns. Pick a spot (some
conspicuous object); keep looking at it as you turn until you can't any
longer; then quickly turn your head so you are looking at it again.
sur le cou-de-pied. See cou-de-pied, sur le.
==T==
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temps. Literally, "time," but perhaps
"moment" would be better. A movement that forms part of a step.
Grant says a part in which there is no transfer of weight, which raises
some interesting questions about temps lié.
temps levé ["raised movement"].
Temps levé is the very simplest jump from one foot onto the same
foot with the other foot raised.
temps lié ["joined movement"].
This is a term for a whole series of conventionally connected movements
executed in the center of the room, often during an adagio. However, it
is also the term for an independent form of a step.
In the basic form of the temps lié, stand
in 5th position croiseé, arms in preparatory position. The working
leg is drawn, without taking the toe off the floor, into croisé
devant, while the supporting leg bends into demi-plié; simultaneously,
the arms are raised into 1st position with the head slightly inclining
towards the shoulder corresponding to the supporting leg. Then, the weight
is transferred through demi-plié to croisé derrière
onto what was the working leg. Here, both legs are completely stretched
with the now working leg stretched toe to the floor in back. At the moment
of weight transfer, the arm that corresponds to the now working leg is
raised overhead, while the other arm opens sideward; the head turns towards
the sideward arm. Finally, the working leg closes in 5th back; arms may
remain or stay.
tendu ["stretched"]. See: battement tendu
and pointe tendu.
terre-à-terre ["ground to ground"].
Used to describe steps in which the dancer's feet do not leave the floor.
Antonym: movements).
travesti, en ["in disguise"]. Of a female
dancer: dancing a male role in a man's costume; of a male dancer: dancing
a female role in a woman's costume.
turnout. The balletic stance in which the legs
are rotated outward so that the legs (and feet) point in opposite directions.
A dancer adopting this position is said to be "turned out."
Usage varies, but most people seem to measure the degree of turnout by
the angle between the foot and the mid-saggital plane of the body. The
ideal, with both feet in a straight line, is thus 90 degrees of turnout.
Turnout must begin at the hip. Forcing the feet and letting everything
else follow puts severe strain on the joints, especially the knees, and
defeats the purpose of turnout, which is to rotate the thigh bone to permit
greater extension, especially to the side.
==U==
==V==
==W==
Whipped Turn (see fouetté)
==X==
==Y==
==Z==
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