Port de bras: Carriage of the arms. Set movements of the arms from
one position to the other.
PlieŽ: An exercise in which, standing erect and with back straight,
you move down and up
with the bend of the knees.
Demi-plieŽ: A half knee-bend. Nearly every step begins and ends with
a demi-plieŽ.
Grand plieŽ: A full knee-bend with heels off the floor.
EleveŽ: A movement in which you rise up high on to the balls of your
feet. A similar
position is also referred to as ReleveŽ.
CoupeŽ: A position of your foot, lifted and held flexed, tight
against your ankle.
Battement: A generic term which describes the various movements in
which the leg
makes a beating motion.
Battement tendu: An exercise in which you brush your foot along the
floor and end in
a point.
En croix: In the shape of a cross (front, side, back)
DegageŽ: An exercise similar to a tendu that finishes
with the foot lifted from the ground
in a point.
Rond de jambes `a terre: Circle of the leg, on the ground (`a
terre). An exercise in
which you mark out a semi-circle on the floor
with your pointed foot.
FrappeŽ: A movement in which you strike your foot along the floor
and finish with a
lifted point.
Grand Battement: Meaning large beats. An exercise in which you raise
your pointed
foot high off of the ground keeping both legs straight.
Balance: In dance, a term which describes the holding of your body in a
stable position.
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.
PasseŽ: A movement that resembles a pass.
Allegro: An Italian musical term meaning quick and lively. In ballet,
allegro steps are
completed in fast tempo without your arms
flapping about.
Petit Allegro: Small jumping and turning steps.
Glissade: Gliding or sliding steps. A traveling step in which
you glide your foot along
the floor with your front knee bent and you transfer
your weight. During the moment
of transition, your legs are fully stretched.
Demi-pointe: Half point, meaning standing on the balls of your feet.
BoureŽe: A linking step in which you rise up on the balls of your
feet (on to your
half point), and the weight is transferred from one foot to the
other in three small steps.
Pas de BoureŽe: Rising up on the balls of your feet, a series of
tiny boureŽes which
gives the impression of gliding along the
floor.
Pas de chat: A traveling step-of-the-cat in which you bring one foot
up along your
leg to the knee, and transfer your weight to the other leg with a
spring in the air,
landing with your feet in 5th position.
Arabesque: A position in which you balance on one straight leg (or
bent leg)
with the other stretched out behind you.
EchappeŽ: A movement that resembles an escape.
ChasseŽ: A movement in which you slide your flat foot along and
across the floor
from various positions, closing with your feet in 5th position.
TombeŽ: A movement that resembles a fall.
Routine: In dance, a term meaning a sequence of steps.
Marking: Going through the movements of a dance routine without dancing
them
fully, in order to familiarize yourself with the steps before performing.
Finale: The concluding part of a performance.
Grand Allegro: A combination of large traveling steps and jumps.
Pas MarcheŽ: The graceful walk to center stage to take a curtsey or
bow.
Curtsey: A movement by the female dancer (ballerina)
that acknowledges
the instructor at the end of a class, or an audience at the
end of a performance.
children's music
preschool music