|
| Adagio (Adage) |
a succession of slow and graceful movements which may be simple or of the most complex |
| Air, en l' |
Indicates that a movement is to be made in the air |
| Allégro |
bright and brisk movements. |
| Alonge |
extension of arms in arabesque |
| Arabesque, |
standing on one leg with raised leg extended in straight line to rear and
foot pointed (4 positions used) |
| Arriére, en |
backwards; shows a step is executed moving away from the audience |
| Assemblé |
rising off floor, on one leg and landing on two (straightening both legs in
air) and returning to fifth position |
| Attitude |
a position on one leg with the other lifted in back, the knee bent at an angle of 90 degrees and
well turned out so that the knee is higher than the foot |
| Avant, en |
a given step is executed moving forward, toward the audience |
| Balancé |
a rocking step; an alternation of balance, shifting the weight from one foot to the other |
| Ballerina |
usually the principal female dancer in a ballet company |
| Ballet |
A theatrical work or entertainment in which a choreographer has expressed his ideas in group and
solo dancing to a musical accompaniment with appropriate costumes, scenery and lighting. |
| ballet d'action |
ballet that tells a story, many times tragic |
| Ballet master, ballet mistress |
person in a ballet company whose duty is to give the daily company class and to rehearse the ballets
in the company repertoire |
| Balletomane |
A ballet fan or enthusiast. The word was invented in Russia in the early nineteenth century. |
| Ballon |
the light, elastic quality in jumping in which the dancer bounds up from the floor, pauses a moment
in the air and descends lightly and softly, only to rebound in the air like the smooth bouncing of a ball |
| ballonne' |
broad leap with battement kick |
| Ballonné, pas |
step in which the dancer springs into the air extending one leg to the front, side or back and lands
with the extended leg either sur le cou-de-pied or retiré |
| Ballotté |
step consists of coupé dessous and coupé dessus performed in a series with a rocking, swinging movement
- ballotté is performed traveling forward on ballotté en avant and backward on ballotté en arrière to the place from which
the first jump began |
| Barre |
horizontal bar opposite mirrors and along a wall in studio for class exercises - where every
class begins exercises |
| Battement |
high or low kick: grand battement or petit battement |
| Battement fondu développé |
exercise in which the supporting leg is slowly bent in fondu with the working foot pointing on the
ankle. As the supporting leg is straightened, the working leg unfolds and is extended to point on the floor or in the air |
| Battement frappé |
exercise in which the dancer forcefully extends the working leg from a cou-de-pied position to the
front, side or back. This exercise strengthens the toes and insteps and develops the power of elevation |
| Battement sur le cou-de-pied, petit |
an exercise at the bar in which the working foot is held sur le cou-de-pied and the lower part of
the leg moves out and in, changing the foot from sur le cou-de-pied devant to sur le cou-de-pied derrière and vice versa |
| Battement tendu |
the working foot slides from the first or fifth position to the second or fourth position without
lifting the toe from the ground. Both knees must be kept straight. When the foot reaches the position pointe tendue, it then
returns to the first or fifth position |
| Battement, grand |
exercise in which the working leg is raised from the hip into the air and brought down again, the
accent being on the downward movement, both knees straight |
| Batterie |
beating together of feet or legs, esp. in midair |
| Battu |
beaten - any step embellished with a beat is called a pas battu. As, for example, in jeté battu |
| Bourre'e |
traveling movement with feet moving in tine steps from tight fifth position |
| Bras |
arms |
| Bras bas |
arms low or down - This is the dancer's "attention." The arms form a circle with the palms facing
each other and the back edge of the hands resting on the thighs. The arms should hang quite loosely but not allowing the elbows
to touch the sides |
| Bras, positions des |
the four arm positions |
| Brise' |
jump in which one leg beats against the other in midair; small beating step in which
the movement is broken. Brisés are commenced on one or two feet and end on one or two feet |
| Brisé volé |
flying brisé - the dancer finishes on one foot after the beat, the other leg crossed either front
or back |
| Cabriole |
An allegro step in which the extended legs are beaten in the air |
| Cabriole, double |
a cabriole in which one leg strikes the other in the air two or more times before landing. |
| Cavalier |
The male partner of the ballerina |
| Centre practice |
a group of exercises similar to those à la barre but performed in the centre of the room without
the support of the barre. These exercises are usually performed with alternate feet and are invaluable for obtaining good
balance and control |
| Chaînés |
a series of rapid turns on the points or demi-pointes done in a straight line or in a circle. |
| Changement |
springing steps in the fifth position, the dancer changing feet in the air and alighting in the fifth
position with the opposite foot in the front |
| Chassé |
step in which one foot literally chases the other foot out of its position; done in a series. |
| Choreographer, choreographer |
term applied to one who composes or invents ballets or dances |
| Choreography, choreography |
term used to describe the actual steps, groupings and patterns of a ballet or dance composition |
| Cinq |
five |
| Cinquiéme |
fifth |
| Classical ballet |
traditional style of ballet, which stresses the academic technique developed through the centuries
of the existence of ballet |
| Coda |
the finale of a classical ballet in which all the principal dancers appear separately or with their
partners. |
| Corps |
body |
| Corps de ballet |
The dancers in a ballet who do not appear as soloists |
| Côté, de |
indicates that a step is to be made to the side, either to the right or to the left. |
| Cou-de-pied position |
working foot is placed on the part of the leg between the base of the calf and the beginning of the
ankle |
| Coupé jeté en tournant |
compound step consisting of a coupé dessous making a three-quarter turn and a grand jeté en avant
to complete the turn. The step is usually done in a series either en manège or en diagonale |
| Couru |
running |
| Croise', croisée |
pose in which a dancer stands with legs crossed at an angle to the audience. The disengaged leg may be
crossed in the front or in the back |
| Croix, en |
the shape of a cross. Indicates that an exercise is to be executed to the fourth position front,
to the second position and to the fourth position back, or vice versa |
| Danse |
dance |
| Danse de caractère |
dance of character, character dance |
| Dedans, en |
inward - indicates that the leg, in a position à terre or en l'air , moves in a circular direction,
counterclockwise from back to front. In pirouettes it indicates that a pirouette is made inward toward the supporting
leg |
| Dehors, en |
outward - indicates that the leg, in a position à terre or en l'air, moves in a circular direction,
clockwise. In pirouettes it indicates that a pirouette is made outward toward the working leg |
| Demi-plié |
Half-bend of the knees. All steps of elevation begin and end with a demi-plié |
| Demi-pointes, sur les |
On the half-points. Indicates that the dancer is to stand high on the balls of the feet and under
part of the toes. Also used in the singular, "sur la demi-pointe." |
| Derrière |
refers to a movement, step or placing of a limb in back of the body. In reference to a particular
step, the addition of derrière implies that the working foot is closed at the back |
| Dessous (duh-Soo) |
Under. Indicates that the working foot passes behind the supporting foot |
| Dessus (duh -Sew) |
Over. Indicates that the working foot passes in front of the supporting foot |
| Deux |
two |
| Deuxième |
second |
| Devant |
in front - refers to a step, movement or the placing of a limb in front of the body. In reference
to a particular step the addition of the word "devant" implies that the working foot is closed in the front |
| Développé |
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 in which
the dancer is facing. |
| Diagonale, en |
a step is to be done traveling in a diagonal direction |
| Divertissement |
diversion, enjoyment; short dances calculated to display the talents of individuals or groups of
dancers. |
| Double |
double |
| Cabriole |
An allegro step in which the extended legs are beaten in the air |
| Cabriole, double |
a cabriole in which one leg strikes the other in the air two or more times before landing. |
| Cavalier |
The male partner of the ballerina |
| Centre practice |
a group of exercises similar to those à la barre but performed in the centre of the room without
the support of the barre. These exercises are usually performed with alternate feet and are invaluable for obtaining good
balance and control |
| Chaînés |
a series of rapid turns on the points or demi-pointes done in a straight line or in a circle. |
| Changement |
springing steps in the fifth position, the dancer changing feet in the air and alighting in the fifth
position with the opposite foot in the front |
| Chassé |
step in which one foot literally chases the other foot out of its position; done in a series. |
| Choreographer, choreographer |
term applied to one who composes or invents ballets or dances |
| Choreography, choreography |
term used to describe the actual steps, groupings and patterns of a ballet or dance composition |
| Cinq |
five |
| Cinquiéme |
fifth |
| Classical ballet |
traditional style of ballet, which stresses the academic technique developed through the centuries
of the existence of ballet |
| Coda |
the finale of a classical ballet in which all the principal dancers appear separately or with their
partners. |
| Corps |
body |
| Corps de ballet |
The dancers in a ballet who do not appear as soloists |
| Côté, de |
indicates that a step is to be made to the side, either to the right or to the left. |
| Cou-de-pied position |
working foot is placed on the part of the leg between the base of the calf and the beginning of the
ankle |
| Coupé jeté en tournant |
compound step consisting of a coupé dessous making a three-quarter turn and a grand jeté en avant
to complete the turn. The step is usually done in a series either en manège or en diagonale |
| Couru |
running |
| Croise', croisée |
pose in which a dancer stands with legs crossed at an angle to the audience. The disengaged leg may be
crossed in the front or in the back |
| Croix, en |
the shape of a cross. Indicates that an exercise is to be executed to the fourth position front,
to the second position and to the fourth position back, or vice versa |
| Danse |
dance |
| Danse de caractère |
dance of character, character dance |
| Dedans, en |
inward - indicates that the leg, in a position à terre or en l'air , moves in a circular direction,
counterclockwise from back to front. In pirouettes it indicates that a pirouette is made inward toward the supporting
leg |
| Dehors, en |
outward - indicates that the leg, in a position à terre or en l'air, moves in a circular direction,
clockwise. In pirouettes it indicates that a pirouette is made outward toward the working leg |
| Demi-plié |
Half-bend of the knees. All steps of elevation begin and end with a demi-plié |
| Demi-pointes, sur les |
On the half-points. Indicates that the dancer is to stand high on the balls of the feet and under
part of the toes. Also used in the singular, "sur la demi-pointe." |
| Derrière |
refers to a movement, step or placing of a limb in back of the body. In reference to a particular
step, the addition of derrière implies that the working foot is closed at the back |
| Dessous (duh-Soo) |
Under. Indicates that the working foot passes behind the supporting foot |
| Dessus (duh -Sew) |
Over. Indicates that the working foot passes in front of the supporting foot |
| Deux |
two |
| Deuxième |
second |
| Devant |
in front - refers to a step, movement or the placing of a limb in front of the body. In reference
to a particular step the addition of the word "devant" implies that the working foot is closed in the front |
| Développé |
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 in which
the dancer is facing. |
| Diagonale, en |
a step is to be done traveling in a diagonal direction |
| Divertissement |
diversion, enjoyment; short dances calculated to display the talents of individuals or groups of
dancers. |
| Double |
double |
| Écarté |
separated, thrown wide apart |
| Échappé |
escaping or slipping movement - a level opening of both feet from a closed to an open position |
| Échappé sur les pointes |
Échappé on the points or toes. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plié and, with a little spring,
open the feet to the second or fourth position sur les pointes |
| Effacé, effacée |
directions of épaulement in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience so that a
part of the body is taken back and almost hidden from view |
| Élévation |
the height attained in springing steps such as entrechats, grands jetés |
| Entrechat |
step of beating in which the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses the legs before and behind
each other (quarte=4 crosses, six = six crosses) |
| Épaulement |
bringing one shoulder forward and the other back with the head turned or inclined over the forward
shoulder |
| Exercises à la barre |
group of exercises performed by the dancer while clasping a bar with one hand. Bar exercises,
or side practice, are the foundation of classical ballet and are to the dancer what scales are to the pianist |
| Extension |
used to describe the ability of a dancer to raise and hold her extended leg en l'air |
| Face, en |
Opposite (the audience); facing the audience |
| Fish dive |
various lifts in which the danseuse is supported by the danseur in a poisson position. He may hold
her above his head in a horizontal fish dive or she may fall from a sitting position on his shoulder and be caught in a fish
dive, and so on. |
| Fondu, fondue |
sinking down - used to describe a lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting
leg |
| Fouetté |
whipped - applied to a whipping movement. The movement may be a short whipped movement of the
raised foot as it passes rapidly in front of or behind the supporting foot or the sharp whipping around of the body from one
direction to another |
| Fouetté en tourant |
large fouetté, turning |
| Fouetté rond de jambe en tournant |
whipped circle of the leg turning - the dancer executes a series of turns on the supporting leg while
being propelled by a whipping movement of the working leg |
| Gateway, the |
first position, arms are held rounded in front of the body with the fingertips on a level with the
bottom of the breastbone |
| Glissade |
a traveling step executed by gliding the working foot from the fifth position in the required direction,
the other foot closing to it |
| Grand, grande |
big, large |
| Écarté |
separated, thrown wide apart |
| Échappé |
escaping or slipping movement - a level opening of both feet from a closed to an open position |
| Échappé sur les pointes |
Échappé on the points or toes. Fifth position R foot front. Demi-plié and, with a little spring,
open the feet to the second or fourth position sur les pointes |
| Effacé, effacée |
directions of épaulement in which the dancer stands at an oblique angle to the audience so that a
part of the body is taken back and almost hidden from view |
| Élévation |
the height attained in springing steps such as entrechats, grands jetés |
| Entrechat |
step of beating in which the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses the legs before and behind
each other (quarte=4 crosses, six = six crosses) |
| Épaulement |
bringing one shoulder forward and the other back with the head turned or inclined over the forward
shoulder |
| Exercises à la barre |
group of exercises performed by the dancer while clasping a bar with one hand. Bar exercises,
or side practice, are the foundation of classical ballet and are to the dancer what scales are to the pianist |
| Extension |
used to describe the ability of a dancer to raise and hold her extended leg en l'air |
| Face, en |
Opposite (the audience); facing the audience |
| Fish dive |
various lifts in which the danseuse is supported by the danseur in a poisson position. He may hold
her above his head in a horizontal fish dive or she may fall from a sitting position on his shoulder and be caught in a fish
dive, and so on. |
| Fondu, fondue |
sinking down - used to describe a lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting
leg |
| Fouetté |
whipped - applied to a whipping movement. The movement may be a short whipped movement of the
raised foot as it passes rapidly in front of or behind the supporting foot or the sharp whipping around of the body from one
direction to another |
| Fouetté en tourant |
large fouetté, turning |
| Fouetté rond de jambe en tournant |
whipped circle of the leg turning - the dancer executes a series of turns on the supporting leg while
being propelled by a whipping movement of the working leg |
| Gateway, the |
first position, arms are held rounded in front of the body with the fingertips on a level with the
bottom of the breastbone |
| Glissade |
a traveling step executed by gliding the working foot from the fifth position in the required direction,
the other foot closing to it |
| Grand, grande |
big, large |
| Jambe |
leg |
| Jeté |
jump from one foot to the other in which the working leg is brushed into the air and appears to have
been thrown |
| Jeté battu |
jeté beaten |
| Jeté entrelacé |
jeté done in all directions and in a circle. It is usually preceded by a chassé or a pas couru to
give impetus to the jump |
| Jeté, grand |
large jeté |
| Jeté, grand in attitude |
big leap forward preceded by a preliminary movement such as a pas couru or a glissade, which gives
the necessary push-off |
| Jeté, petit |
small jeté |
| Labanotation |
a system of dance notation invented by the Hungarian-born teacher Rudolf von Laban |
| Leçon (Class) |
lesson - the daily class taken by dancers throughout their career to continue learning and to maintain
technical proficiency |
| Ligne |
the outline presented by a dancer while executing steps and poses |
| Jambe |
leg |
| Jeté |
jump from one foot to the other in which the working leg is brushed into the air and appears to have
been thrown |
| Jeté battu |
jeté beaten |
| Jeté entrelacé |
jeté done in all directions and in a circle. It is usually preceded by a chassé or a pas couru to
give impetus to the jump |
| Jeté, grand |
large jeté |
| Jeté, grand in attitude |
big leap forward preceded by a preliminary movement such as a pas couru or a glissade, which gives
the necessary push-off |
| Jeté, petit |
small jeté |
| Labanotation |
a system of dance notation invented by the Hungarian-born teacher Rudolf von Laban |
| Leçon (Class) |
lesson - the daily class taken by dancers throughout their career to continue learning and to maintain
technical proficiency |
| Ligne |
the outline presented by a dancer while executing steps and poses |
| Manèges |
term applied to steps or enchaînements executed in a circle. |
| Mazurka (mazurek) |
a Polish folk dance in 3/4 time which has been introduced into a number of ballets as a character
dance. |
| Methods |
academic ballet as we know it today came into being in the year 1661, when King Louis XIV of France
founded the Académie Royale de Musique et de Danse |
| Mime |
art of using the face and body to express emotion and dramatic action |
| Neuf |
nine |
| Notation |
there are two systems of notation in general use, Labanotation and Benesh notation. |
| Ouvert, ouverte |
Open, opened - refers to positions (the second and fourth positions of the feet are positions ouvertes),
limbs, directions, or certain exercises or steps |
| Pas |
simple step or a compound movement which involves a transfer of weight |
| Pas de bourrée |
Bourrée steps done on the point or demi-pointe |
| Pas de bourrée couru |
running steps - a progression on the points or demi-pointes by a series of small, even steps with
the feet close together |
| Pas de chat |
cat's-step - owes its name to the likeness of the movement to a cat's leap |
| Pas de deux |
dance for two |
| Pas de deux, grand |
grand dance for two |
| Pas de quatre |
dance for four |
| Pas de trois |
dance for three |
| Pas de valse |
waltz step- with a graceful swaying of the body with various arm movements, step is like a balancé,
but the feet do not cross |
| Pas marché |
marching step - the dignified, classical walk of the ballerina and the premier danseur |
| Penché, penchée |
leaning, inclining, for example, in arabesque penchée |
| Petit, petite |
small |
| Pieds, cinq postions des (Five postions of the feet) |
five basic positions of the feet in classical ballet, and every step or movement is begun and ended
in one or another of these positions |
| Piqué |
pricked, pricking - executed by stepping directly on the point or demi-pointe of the working foot
in any desired direction or position with the other foot raised in the air |
| Pirouette |
whirl or spin - a complete turn of the body on one foot, on point or demi-pointe |
| Pirouette à la second, grande |
large pirouette in the second position usually performed by male dancers. It is a series of turns
on one foot with the free leg raised to the second position en l'air at 90 degrees |
| Plié |
bent, bending - of the knee or knees. This is an exercise to render the joints and muscles soft and
pliable and the tendons flexible and elastic, and to develop a sense of balance |
| Pointes, sur les |
raising of the body on the tips of the toes. Also used in the singular, "sur la pointe." First introduced
in the late 1820s or early 1830s at the time of Taglioni. There are three ways of reaching the points, by piqué, relevé or
sauté. |
| Pointe shoes |
The satin ballet shoes used by dancers when dancing sur les pointes. shoes reinforced with a box
constructed of several layers of strong glue in between layers of material. |
| Poisson |
fish - a position of the body in which the legs are crossed in the fifth position and held tightly
together with the back arched |
| Polonaise |
processional dance in 3/4 time with which the court ballets of the seventeenth century were opened |
| Port de bras |
movement or series of smooth movements made by passing the arm or arms through various positions.
The passage of the arms from one position to another constitutes a port de bras. Also term for a group of exercises designed
to make the arms move gracefully and harmoniously |
| Porté, portée |
Refers either to a step which is traveled in the air from one spot to another or to the carrying
of a danseuse by a danseur. |
| Premier, première |
first |
| Promenade, tour de |
in a pas de deux, the ballerina on point holds her pose and is slowly turned by her partner who walks
around her holding her hand. |
| Manèges |
term applied to steps or enchaînements executed in a circle. |
| Mazurka (mazurek) |
a Polish folk dance in 3/4 time which has been introduced into a number of ballets as a character
dance. |
| Methods |
academic ballet as we know it today came into being in the year 1661, when King Louis XIV of France
founded the Académie Royale de Musique et de Danse |
| Mime |
art of using the face and body to express emotion and dramatic action |
| Neuf |
nine |
| Notation |
there are two systems of notation in general use, Labanotation and Benesh notation. |
| Ouvert, ouverte |
Open, opened - refers to positions (the second and fourth positions of the feet are positions ouvertes),
limbs, directions, or certain exercises or steps |
| Pas |
simple step or a compound movement which involves a transfer of weight |
| Pas de bourrée |
Bourrée steps done on the point or demi-pointe |
| Pas de bourrée couru |
running steps - a progression on the points or demi-pointes by a series of small, even steps with
the feet close together |
| Pas de chat |
cat's-step - owes its name to the likeness of the movement to a cat's leap |
| Pas de deux |
dance for two |
| Pas de deux, grand |
grand dance for two |
| Pas de quatre |
dance for four |
| Pas de trois |
dance for three |
| Pas de valse |
waltz step- with a graceful swaying of the body with various arm movements, step is like a balancé,
but the feet do not cross |
| Pas marché |
marching step - the dignified, classical walk of the ballerina and the premier danseur |
| Penché, penchée |
leaning, inclining, for example, in arabesque penchée |
| Petit, petite |
small |
| Pieds, cinq postions des (Five postions of the feet) |
five basic positions of the feet in classical ballet, and every step or movement is begun and ended
in one or another of these positions |
| Piqué |
pricked, pricking - executed by stepping directly on the point or demi-pointe of the working foot
in any desired direction or position with the other foot raised in the air |
| Pirouette |
whirl or spin - a complete turn of the body on one foot, on point or demi-pointe |
| Pirouette à la second, grande |
large pirouette in the second position usually performed by male dancers. It is a series of turns
on one foot with the free leg raised to the second position en l'air at 90 degrees |
| Plié |
bent, bending - of the knee or knees. This is an exercise to render the joints and muscles soft and
pliable and the tendons flexible and elastic, and to develop a sense of balance |
| Pointes, sur les |
raising of the body on the tips of the toes. Also used in the singular, "sur la pointe." First introduced
in the late 1820s or early 1830s at the time of Taglioni. There are three ways of reaching the points, by piqué, relevé or
sauté. |
| Pointe shoes |
The satin ballet shoes used by dancers when dancing sur les pointes. shoes reinforced with a box
constructed of several layers of strong glue in between layers of material. |
| Poisson |
fish - a position of the body in which the legs are crossed in the fifth position and held tightly
together with the back arched |
| Polonaise |
processional dance in 3/4 time with which the court ballets of the seventeenth century were opened |
| Port de bras |
movement or series of smooth movements made by passing the arm or arms through various positions.
The passage of the arms from one position to another constitutes a port de bras. Also term for a group of exercises designed
to make the arms move gracefully and harmoniously |
| Porté, portée |
Refers either to a step which is traveled in the air from one spot to another or to the carrying
of a danseuse by a danseur. |
| Premier, première |
first |
| Promenade, tour de |
in a pas de deux, the ballerina on point holds her pose and is slowly turned by her partner who walks
around her holding her hand. |
| Quatre |
four |
| Quatrième |
first |
| Relevé |
raised - raising of the body on the points or demi-pointes, point or demi-pointe |
| Retiré |
position in which the thigh is raised to the second position en l'air with the knee bent so that
the pointed toe rests in front of, behind or to the side of the supporting knee. |
| Rise |
smooth relevé from a position à terre through all the levels of the foot (quarter-point, half-point
and three-quarter point) - toes do not move from the spot at which the rise began. |
| Rolling |
Poor distribution of weight on inside or outside of foot - toes and heels should be flat on the floor
and the turn-out must come from the hip joints. |
| Romantic ballet |
A style of ballet produced during the early nineteenth century in which the accent was on the conveyance
of a mood to a story. |
| Rond de jambe |
a circular movement of the leg |
| Rond de jambe à terre |
exercise at the bar or in the centre in which one leg is made to describe a series of circular movements
on the ground |
| Rond de jambe en l'air |
exercise at the bar or in the centre in which one leg is made to describe a series of circular movements
in the air |
| Royale |
changement in which the calves are beaten together before the feet change position |
| Russian School |
The Russian School was founded in St. Petersburg in 1738 by the French dancerJean-Baptiste Landé.
During the 1 920s the Russian ballerina and teacher Agrippina Vaganova developed a planned instructional system which later
became known to the whole world as the Vaganova system. |
| Saut de basque |
traveling step in which the dancer turns in the air with one foot drawn up to the knee of the other
leg |
| Sauté, sautée |
this term is added to the name of a step when the movement is performed while jumping |
| Seconde, à la |
the foot is to be placed in the second position, or that a movement is to be made to the second position
en l'air |
| Sept |
seven |
| Sickling |
fault in which the dancer turns his or her foot in from the ankle, thereby breaking the straight
line of the leg |
| Sissonne |
jumping step which begins on two feet and lands on one |
| Six |
six |
| Supporting leg |
used by dancers and teachers for the leg which supports the body so that the working leg is free
to execute a given movement |
| Temps lié sur les pointes |
connected movement en pointe |
| Terre, à |
the entire base of the supporting foot or feet touches the ground |
| Tour de force |
feat of technical skill such as a series of brilliant pirouettes or a combination of outstanding
jumps and beats |
| Tour en l'air |
turn in the air - usually a male dancer's step although contemporary choreographers use this tour
for ballerinas as well |
| Tournant, en |
Indicates that the body is to turn while executing a given step |
| Trois |
three |
| Troisiéme |
third |
| Turn-out |
the ability of the dancer to turn his or her feet and legs out from the hip joints to a 90-degree
position |
| Tutu |
the short classical ballet skirt made of many layers of tarlatan or net -romantic tutu is a long
skirt reaching below the calf |
| Vaganova, Agrippina |
The greatest Russian teacher of her day (1879-1951). |
| Variation |
A solo dance in a classic ballet |
| Virtuoso |
The dancers in a ballet who do not appear as soloists |
| Working leg |
used by dancers and teachers to denote the leg that is executing a given movement while the weight
of the body is on the supporting leg |
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