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Ballet Glossary
Grade 1
Plie
The bending
of both knees
Demi
Half
Degage
To release
the foot from a closed to an open position
Tendu
Stretched
Devant
Infront
Derriere
Behind
Grand
Large
A la second
To the
second position
Petit
Small
Jete
To throw
the weight of the body from one foot on to the other
Saute
To spring
Echappe
To escape
Curtsey/Bow
To say
thank you
Grade 2
Fondu
A bending of one knee
En croix
In the
shape of a cross
Retire
To draw up
Bras
Arms
Bas
Down
Changement
To change
Temps leve
To hop
Coupe
To cut the
weight of the body from one foot on to the other
Chasse
A sliding
movement
En avant
Forward
Pose
A step
Enchainements
The
amalgamation of steps
Glissade
A gliding
movement – preparatory exercise always end in a demi-plie
Grade 3
Battement
Beating
movement of the leg
Rond de jambe
Circle of
the leg
A terre
On the
ground
En dehors
Outwards
Assemble
Joined
together
Alignment
Directions
of the body
En face
Facing
front
Croise
Crossed –
face the diagonal with the foot nearest the audience in front
Ouverte
Open – face
the diagonal with the foot nearest the audience behind
De cote
to the side
En arriere
Backwards
Attitude
A position
on one leg the other crossed 4th a terre or en l’air
Ordinaire
Ordinary
Arabesque
A position
on one leg, the other in open 4th, a terre or en l’air
Pas de chat
Step of a
cat
Soubresaut
A spring
commencing and ending in 3rd without changing the feet, the front
foot covers the back foot in the air
Pirouette
A spin on
one foot
Classical Pose
Shortened
degage derriere knees together
Grade 4
En dedans
Inwardly
Frappe
To strike
Sur le cou-de-pieds
On the
ankle
Releve
To snatch
Releve passé derriere
Raising the
front foot under the knee and closing the foot at the back
Develope
To unfold
Ports de bras
Carriage of
the arms
En l’air
In
the air
Chasse passé
A sliding
movement with the back of the foot passing to the front (passé en avant) or the
front foot passing to the back (passé en arriere) End in a demi-plie in 4th
Demi-pointe
Half pointe
Passe
Passing
Pas de bourree
A compound
step consisting of three small steps, the first two on the demi pointe and the
third on the flat, with demi plie
Pas de basque
A movement
derived from the swaying of the skirt
Balance
A graceful
transferring of weight from foot to foot
Grade 5
Petits battment sur le cou-de-pieds
Small beats
on the ankle
Soutenus
To sustain
Adage
Slow
movement
Sissonne ouverte
A spring
from two feet to one foot, ending on fondu, with the working leg extended en
l’air
Glisse
Gliding
Echappe battu fermee
A beaten
echappe commencing in 2nd and ending in 5th
Grade 6
A deux bras
with two
arms
En cloche
Like a
bell, the foot passes from 4th devant to 4th derriere
through 1st position
Demi-grands ronds de jambe en
l’air
A large
circling movement of the leg from 4th devant or derriere through to 2nd
Fouette
A whipping
movement
Demi-contretemps
Temps leve
and a chasse passé
Sissonne ordinaire
A spring
from two feet alighting on one foot
Sissonne fermee
A sissonne
finished in 5th position
Sissonne ouverte change
A sissonne
ouverte with a change of feet before landing
Petit Assemble
A small
jump from 1 foot to 2 feet
Ballonne
A bouncing
step
Ballonne compose
A compound
ballonne with the accent on the second extension
Petit Batterie
Small beating steps (i.e. changement battu)
Changements battu
A beaten
changement
Echappe battu ouverte
A beaten
echappe commencing in 5th and ending in 2nd
Intermediate
Notes to follow