GLOSSARY OF BALLET TERMS

 Adagio
                    Slow and sustained movements; also, the section of a pas de deux in which the ballerina, partnered by
                    the danseur, displays her mastery of lyrical movement.
 Allegro
                    Fast movements.
 Arabesque
                    A position in which the dancer stands on one leg with the other leg extended in a straight line to the
                    rear. The positions of the arms and the height of the raised leg may vary.
 Attitude
                    A position in which the dancer stands on one leg, the other leg raised behind the body with the knee
                    bent. A similar position, but with the leg placed in front of the body, may also be called an attitude.
 Ballerina
                    The principal female dancer in a company. The term is misapplied when used to designate any female
                    dancer. A large company may have two or more ballerinas, the chief one ranked as Prima ballerina.
 Ballon
                    The resilience, lightness, or spring of a dancer in leaping or jumping movements.
 Battement
                    A kick, either high (grand battement) or low (petit battement), which may be executed in any
                    direction.
 Batterie
                    Any action in which the legs beat together, usually when the dancer is in air.
 Cabriole
                    A batterie movement, usually for the male. One leg kicks high to the front or the back and is held in
                    this extension until the supporting leg swiftly leaves the floor and meets the raised leg in a beat or in
                    multiple beats.
 Changement de Pieds
                    A movement in which the dancer, starting in fifth position, jumps upward and returns to the floor in
                    fifth position but with the position of the feet reversed. He might, for example, start with the right leg
                    in front and conclude with the right leg in back.
 Choreographer
                    One who selects or invents the steps, movements, and patterns of a ballet. He must relate these
                    motions to the music, the themeabstract or dramaticand the design of the production in order to
                    make a ballet with form, sequence, and purpose.
 Coda
                    The last section of a pas de deux or of a full ballet.
 Corps de Ballet
                    The chorus of a ballet company; also called the ensemble.
 Danseur Noble
                    The male classical dancer, counterpart of the classical ballerina.
 Demi-Pointe
                    With the full weight of the body on the toes and the ball of the foot.
 Développé
                    The unfolding of the leg, accomplished by slowly bending and then straightening the knee as the leg is
                    raised in an extension (to the front, side, or back) from the floor.
 Divertissement
                    A dance without plot, or that part of a dramatic ballet composed of a series of short dances without
                    plot.
 En Arrière
                    To the back.
 En Avant
                    To the front.
 En Dedans
                    Inward, toward the body.
 En Dehors
                    Outward, away from the body.
 Entrechat
                    A jump directly upward, with the body maintaining a straight line and with multiple changes of
                    positions of feet in air. An entrechat is an elaboration of the changement de pieds.
 Five Positions of the Feet
                    The five classical positions of the feet. Every ballet step or movement must begin with one of these
                    positions and return to one of them. (See illustration.)
 Fouetté
                    A turn or spin on one leg, the body being propelled by a whipping motion of the free leg. It is usually
                    performed by a female dancer.
 Glissade
                    A gliding step starting from fifth position, opening into second position, and closing in fifth. It may be
                    held to the floor or used as a low leap.
 Jeté
                    A leap in which the dancer propels himself with a pushoff from one leg, covers space in air, and lands
                    on the other leg.
 Pas
                    A step; also used to designate types of dances, as pas seul (solo) and pas de deux (dance for two).
 Pas de Bourrée
                    A traveling step in which the dancer may move in any direction on demi-pointe or on pointe. The
                    calves are held as close together as possible while the dancer executes a series of swift miniature
                    steps.
 Pas de Chat
                    A leap, starting from a plié in fifth position. The leading leg is drawn up with bent knee, followed
                    almost immediately by the other leg. At the peak of the leap, both knees are bent outward to the side,
                    and the toes are nearly touching. A gargouillade is the same movement, except that the leading leg
                    does a rond de jamb en dehors and the following leg a rond de jamb en dedans while in air.
 Pas de Deux
                    A duet. A classical grand pas de deux consists of an entrée, adagio, two solosone executed by the
                    ballerina; the other done by the danseurand a coda.
 Pirouette
                    A turn of the body done while standing on one leg, the other leg being held in any one of a number of
                    traditional positions. A pirouette is done on demi-pointe by the male, on pointe by the female, dancer.
 Plié
                    A bending of the knees with hips, legs, and feet turned outward.
 Pointe
                    The tip of the toe.
 Port de Bras
                    The positions and movements of the arms.
 Relevé
                    To rise onto pointe or demi-pointe.
 Rond de Jambe
                    A rotary movement of the leg. It can be done in a number of ways, such as on the floor with knee
                    straight, or in air with a circular rotation of the knee from bent to straight.
 Sauté
                    A jump.
 Terre-à-Terre
                    Steps done on the ground.
 Tour
                    A turn. A pirouette is one kind of tour.
 Tour en l'Air
                    A turn done in air. The dancer springs upward from fifth position, makes one or more complete turns,
                    and returns to the floor in fifth position.
 Turnout
                    The body positions of classical ballet in which the limbs are turned out from the hips at a 180 angle.
                    Ballet beginners start with a less extreme turnout.
 Tutu
                    The fluffy skirt worn by the female dancer. In ballets of the romantic style, the tutu falls to below the
                    calf. In the later, classical style ballet, it is short enough to reveal the legs completely.
 Variation
                    Usually a solo dance, or pas seul.