A
Refers to slow movement, typically performed with the greatest amount of grace and fluidity than other movements of dance.
Adagio
Aa step where a dancer moves while alternating balance between their feet. The rhythm is usually in three counts like a waltz and has the motion of going “down, up, down” with their legs.
Balancé
A ballet term meaning “on the ‘neck’ of the foot.” This term is for a position of the foot, not an actual step. The position is when the working foot is placed on the other leg between the base of the calf muscle and the top of the ankle.
Sur le cou-de-pied
A classical ballet term meaning “slipping movement” or “escaping.” A dancer does this with their legs and feet. Starting in a closed position, usually fifth position with the feet, the dancer slides both feet out equally into either second or fourth position.
Échappé
A classical ballet term meaning “cat’s step.” It gets its name because the step resembles how a cat jumps.
Pas de chat
in classical ballet is a horizontal, often wooden or metal, bar that is fastened to the walls, or free-standing with supports on either side, in a rehearsal studio or class room. While doing barre exercises, a dancer will stand and hold on to the barre for additional support.
Barre
A classical ballet term that means “chains” or “links.” When a dancer is doing chaînés or “chaîné turns”.
Chaînés
A classical ballet term meaning “disengage.” It's when a dancer moves their leg off the floor from a position with a pointed foot and straight leg to the front, side or back. It gets its name because the step is a movement, not a position, where a leg “disengages” from the other.
Dégagé
A classical ballet term meaning “glide.” It is a traveling, usually small, jump that is usually used to link other steps together. It can be considered an in-between step.
Glissade
A classical ballet term meaning “passed.” It refers to the movement when a dancer goes through a retiré position, which is when one leg is bent so it looks like a triangle with the foot placed near the other leg’s knee.
Passé
A classical ballet term which means “beating.” When a dancing, they are essentially closing their legs in together then opening again or the other way around, staring from a closed position to an open, back to a closed. The “closing” is whats referred to as the battement or “beating.”
Battement Tendu
A classical ballet term meaning “change” but as a jump.
Changement
A classical ballet term meaning “back” or “behind.” Its a term that describes the position or direction for another step or term.
Derrière
A classical ballet term meaning “big throw.” It describes a big jump where the dancer throws one leg into the air, pushes off the floor with the other, jumping into the air and landing again on the first leg.
Grand jeté
A classical ballet term meaning “spin.” It describes when a dancer is turning around one leg with the other off the ground and in a position, most commonly in passé. This can be done either en dedans, turning in towards the supporting leg that the dancer is turning on, or en dehors, which is turning away from the supporting leg.
Pirouette
A classical ballet term which means “large battement.” A dancer performs by throwing the working leg into the air from the hip and brings it back down to a position, typically fifth position. While doing this a dancer keeps both legs straight while the rest of the body remains relatively still.
Grand Battement
A classical ballet term meaning “to chase.” It's considered a basic step and is commonly seen throughout ballet and other forms of dance.
Chassé
A classical ballet term meaning “in front.” It's used along with a step, movement or placing of a limb in front of the body. When used with another step such as tendu devant, it is meant that the working foot is closed in front.
Devant
When a dancer is basically bending at the knees. They are typically done in 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th positions in classical ballet, both at the barre and center in classes. Correct use and development is a basic but essential movement to a dancer’s technique.
Plié
A classical ballet term meaning “movement of the arms.” It describes how dancers move their arms from one position to another.
Port de bras
A classical ballet term meaning “disengaged battement.” Usually used in Cecchetti technique, it's very similar to a battement tendu but done at twice the speed, with the working foot rising about 4 inches off the floor.
Battement Dégagé
A ballet term that means “like a bell.” It is usually used as “battement en cloche“ which has the dancer going back and forth between battement front and back, passing through first position.
En cloche
A classical ballet term meaning “to develop,” or “developing movement.” It's a movement where the dancer’s working leg is drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg and extended to an open position.
Développé
A classical ballet term meaning “beating steps.” It has many forms that mostly relate to the direction the dancer is moving or if the legs are bending or staying straight. It gets its definition because a dancer doing this will have his or her legs coming together for a moment before opening again.
Pas de bourrée
A classical ballet term meaning “raised.” It describes the action when a dancer rises up and seemingly is standing “on their toes” in a demi-pointe or a fully en pointe.
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