A La Seconde: To the side or in the second position. a la seconde usually means a step that moves sideways or a mo
Adagio: ADAGE (French), ADAGIO (Italian) In song,Adagio means 'slowly', and in ballet it means slow, enfoldi
Aplomb: Aplomb refers to stability of the position.
Arabesque: The position of the body supported on one leg, with the other leg extended behind the body with the
Arriere: French for 'back' or 'backwards'. A step en arriere moves backwards, away from the audience. A movem
Assemble: (ah sem blay) Sometimes also pas assemble. Literally 'assembled'. A movement where the first foot pe
Attitude: A position in which the dancer stands on one leg (known as the supporting leg) while the other leg (
Avant: (ah vong) Forwards, Front. A step travelling en avant moves forwards, towards the audience, e.g. sis
Balance: It is usually executed in three counts The dancer typically begins in fifth position, in plie. Befor
Ballabile: Ballabile (from the Italian Ballabile meaning 'danceable') In ballet the term refers to a dance perf
Ballerina: Italian for 'female dancer'. Ballerina is a principal female dancer of a ballet company. The male ve
Ballerino: Italian for 'male dancer'. A Ballerino is a principal male dancer of a ballet company and is also re
Ballet: A theatrical work or entertainment in which a choreographer has expressed his ideas in group and sol
Balletomane: A ballet fan or enthusiast. The word was invented in Russia in the early nineteenth century.
Ballon: Ballon means to bounce, where the dancer can show the lightness of the movement. It describes a qual
Barre: A horizontal bar, approximately waist height, used for warm-up of various parts of the body that wil
Battement: It is a kicking movement of the working leg (i.e. the leg that is performing a technique). Battement
Battement Developpe: is usually a slow battement in which the leg is first lifted to retire position, then fully extended
Battement Fondu: is a battement (usually slower) from a fondu (both knees bent, working foot on the cou-de-pied of th
Battement Frappe: is a battement where the foot moves from a flexed position next to the other ankle, and extends out
Battement Glisse: is a rapid battement normally taken to 2-3 centimeters off the floor (literally means a 'gliding' ba
Battement Lent: is a slow battement, normally taken as high as possible, which involves considerable control and str
Battement Tendu: is a battement where the extended foot never leaves the floor. The working foot slides forward or si
Battement Tendu Jete: (Russian school) is a battement normally taken to anywhere from 2 cm off the floor up to 45 degrees,
Batterie: A whole family of techniques involving jumps, where the feet cross quickly in front and behind each
Bras Croise: Literally 'crossed arms'. Arms are placed so that, when the dancer is facing one of the stage corner
Brise: A jump. One leg is thrust from the fifth position to the second position in the air: the second leg
Chaines: This is a common abbreviation for tours chaines deboules, which is a series of quick turns on altern
Changement De Pied: Literally 'changing of feet'. A jump in which the feet change positions in the air. For example, beg
Chasse: Chasse, literally 'to chase'. A slide forwards, backwards, or sideways with both legs bent, then spr
Coda: Literally 'tail'. As in music, a Coda is a passage which brings a movement or a separate piece to a
Corps De Ballet: The ensemble of a ballet company: especially, the ensemble apart from the featured dancers.
Coupe: The foot wrapped around the ankle with the heel just above the ankle bone.
Couru: Small quick steps in most cases calves are kept together can also be described as 'massaging the flo
Croise: Meaning: crossed. One of the directions of epaulement. The dancer stands facing one of the corners o
Danseur: A male ballet dancer. The female version is ballerina (Italian) or danseuse (French).
Degage: degage to disengage
Demi: meaning of half. Applied to plie and pointe and other movements or positions to indicate a smaller o
Demi Detourne: A half turn executed on both feet. Start right foot front (5th position). Demi plie and then releve
Demi-Grand Rond De Jambe: the leg is straightened and sustained horizontal to make the circle to the side. If not reversed, fo
Derriere: At or to the back side. For example, a battement tendu derriere is a battement tendu taken to the re
Dessous: Literally 'under'. Used where the front leg is brought to the back, in techniques such as the assemb
Dessus: Literally 'over'. Used where the back leg is brought to the front, in techniques such as the assembl
Devant: Literally 'front'. For example, tendu devant would mean stretching the foot to the front, or attitud
Developpe: A common abbreviation for battement developpe. A movement in which the leg is first lifted to retire
Double: Making two of the movement, such as in double battement fondu and double rond de jambe en l'air.
Echappe: Literally 'escaped'. A movement done from a closed (first or fifth) position to an open (second or f
Efface: Literally 'erased' or 'obscured'. One of the directions of epaulement in which the dancer stands at
Eleve: Literally 'rise'. A releve without the plie, so that the dancer simply rises directly to demi or poi
En: Literally 'in'. This term is usually used to describe the position in which the dancer is situated:
En Croix: Meaning 'in the shape of a cross' or 'the cross.' This term is usually used when doing barre exercis
En Dedans: Movement within a circle so that the leg starts at the back or the side and moves towards the front.
En Dehors: Literally 'outwards'. Movement within a circle so that the leg starts at the front or the side and m
Entrechat: A step of beating in which the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses the legs before and beh
Entree: In ballet, the term Entree has two meanings: 1. Entree can refer to the opening number in a suite of
Epaulement: Literally 'shouldering'. Rotation of the shoulders and head relative to the hips in a pose or a step
Failli: The dancer springs into the air, landing on the front foot with the back foot raised. The back foot
Flex: a movement for the feet when they point(down) and flex(up)it is mostly used in warm ups. The foot it
Fondu: Literally 'to melt'. Abbreviation for a battement fondu. A term used to describe a lowering of the b
Fouette: Literally 'whipped'. The term indicates either a turn with a quick change in the direction of the wo
Fouette Jete: literally 'whipped throw'. A leap which starts as a fouette and then the second leg also kicks in fr
Fouette Rond De Jambe En Tournant: A turn made by using a fouette. For each turn the dancer stands momentarily on flat foot and in plie
Frappe: Literally 'hit' or 'strike'. See Battement frappe describing hitting the floor or an ankle with a mo
Glissade: Literally, to slide. This is a traveling step starting in fifth position with demi-plie: the front f
Grand Battement: is a powerful battement action where the dancer takes the leg as high as possible, while the support
Grand Battement: en cloche is a grand battement which continuously 'swishes' forwards and backwards passing through t
Grand Jete: A long horizontal jump, starting from one leg and landing on the other. It is most often done forwar
Grand Pas Daction: Literally, big or large step. A Grand pas is a suite of individual dances that serves as a showpiece
Grand Pas De Chat: A jump similar to a grand jete where the leg extends to the front with a developpe.
Grand Plie: A full plie, or bending of the knees. The back should be straight and aligned with the heels, and th
Grand Rond De Jambe: the leg is straightened and sustained at grand battement height, with the foot making the circle hig
Jete: Jete is a jump from one foot to the other (like a leap), in which one leg appears to be 'thrown' in
Open Ribcage: when your back is curved
Partnering: In general, partnering is an effort by both the male and female dancers to achieve a harmony of move
Pas: Literally, 'step'. In ballet, the term pas often refers to a combination of steps which make up a da
Pas De Basque: step of the Basques. Halfway between a step and a leap, taken on the floor (glisse) or with a jump (
Pas De Bourree: It consists of three quick steps i.e. behind, side, front. It means 'Step of Bourree', Bourree being
Pas De Chat: step of the cat. The dancer jumps sideways, and while in mid-air, bends both legs up (two retires) b
Pas De Cheval: step of the horse. The dancer does a coupe then a small developpe and tendu back into starting posit
Pas De Deux: meaning 'step of two'. Pas de deux is a duet usually performed by a female and a male dancer. A famo
Pas De Poisson: step of the fish. Same as temps de poisson. This is a type of soubresaut, or a jump without change o
Pas De Valse: waltz step. A traveling step done to music in 3/4 time, either straight or while turning (en tournan
Passe: As a position passe means when a foot is placed near or on the other knee. As a movement passe refer
Petit Battement: is a battement action where the bending action is at the knee, while the upper leg and thigh remain
Petit Saut: small jump, in which the feet do not change positions in mid-air: also called temps leve saute in th
Pique: Literally 'pricked'. A movement in which the strongly pointed toe of the lifted and extended leg sha
Pirouette: A controlled turn on one leg, starting with one or both legs in plie and rising onto demi-pointe (us
Plie: Literally 'bent'. A smooth and continuous bending of the knees. This can be grand-plie, a bend to th
Pointe Work: Performing steps while on the tips of the toes, using a special blocked shoe. Although mostly a fema
Port De Bras: Literally 'carriage of the arms'. Sometimes misspelled 'porte-bras'. Movement of the arms to differe
Pose: A term of the Cecchetti school. From a fondu, the dancer steps with a straight leg into demi-pointe
Positions Of The Arms: There are two basic positions for the arms. In one, the dancer keeps the fingers of both arms almost
Positions Of The Feet: The basic five positions of the feet on the floor were set down by the dancing master Pierre Beaucha
Pulling Up: Pulling up is critical to the success of a dancer because without it, the simple act of rising up wo
Quick Step Promenade: turn in walk
Releve: Literally 'lifted'. Rising from any position to balance on one or both feet on at least demi-pointe
Retire Devant: The working leg is raised just in front of the knee cap (but can be raised higher) and is sharply be
Retire Position: The working leg is raised to the side, with knee sharply bent so the toe is pointed next to the supp
Rond De Jambe: Literally 'circle of the leg'. Actually, half-circles made by the pointed foot, returning through fi
Rond De Jambe A Terre: straightened leg with pointed toe remaining on the ground to sweep around.
Rond De Jambe Attitude: the leg is swung around from the front around to the side into attitude position behind as the suppo
Rond De Jambe En Lair: in the air. The leg is lifted to the side, movement is only below the knee. If the thigh is horizont
Saut De Chat: in the French school, the term indicates a step similar to the Italian pas de chat, where the workin
Saute: Literally 'jump'. As adjectives, saute (masc.) or sautee (fem.) (soh TAY) are used to modify the qua
Second Position Of The Leg: The dancer stands with feet turned out along a straight line as in first position, but with the heel
Sickle: A term that refers to the reverse of a turnout. It occurs when the dancers ankle is facing inward as
Sissonne: A jump done from two feet to one foot or in some cases two. Named after the originator of the step.
Soubresaut: A term of the Russian and French schools: it indicates a sudden spring or jump from both feet, trave
Sous-Sus: Literally over under. Typically executed from fifth position, a dancer rises up onto the pointes or
Soutenu En Tournant: Similar to tours chaines, a soutenu is a series of turns in quick succession. The dancer must first
Split: A split is a configuration of the legs to a straight 180 degree (or more, oversplit), they can be do
Sur Le Cou-De-Pied: Literally means, 'on the neck of the foot'. This is a position in which the working foot is placed o
Sway Back: When a dancer arches their back too far resulting in an appearance of bad posture.
Temps Leve: A term of the Cecchetti method, meaning 'time raised', or 'raising movement'. This is a hop from one
Temps Leve Saute: A term of the Russian school, meaning 'time raised jumped'. It can be done in first, second, third,
Tendu: Literally, 'stretched': a common abbreviation for battement tendu.either front,side,or backward
Tombe: Typically a beginning movement. For a tombe en avant, the dancer begins with a coupe front and then,
Tours En Lair: Literally 'turn in the air'. A jump, typically for a male, with a full rotation. The landing can be
Triple Runs: One big step, followed by two little steps, can be done in a circle.
Turn-Out: A rotation of the leg from the hips, causing the knee and foot to also turn outward. Properly done,
Waltz: Can be used to describe a type of ballet music, counted in 3/4 music tempo (as 'one, two, three'). I