Ballet Glossary
Alphabetical Terms
Á B C D E F G H J M O P Q R S T V W


F

(French pronunciation: [fʁape]; 'struck.') Abbreviation of battement frappé. Action of extending the working foot out from cou-de-pied. In Cecchetti, RAD, and American ballet, on flat, this action involves brushing a flexed (or non-pointed relaxed) foot from cou-de-pied through the floor, the ball of the foot (lightly) striking as extending out pointed through dégagé. In the Russian school, a pointed foot at cou-de-pied extends directly out to dégagé height without brushing through the floor. On demi-pointe, Cecchetti employs the Russian style of non-brushed pointed foot directly out. Other schools may use a flexed foot without the strike or a non-brushed pointed foot on demi-pointe.Frappés


G

A complicated jump involving a pas de chat with a double rond de jambe. (Wikipedia)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGiselle, or The WilisNative titleChoreographerMusicLibrettoBased onPremiereOriginal ballet companyCharactersSettingCreated forGenreCarlotta Grisi in the first act of Giselle (1842)Giselle, ou les WilisJean CoralliJules PerrotAdolphe AdamJules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-GeorgesThéophile GautierHeinrich Heine's De l'AllemagneVictor Hugo's "Fantômes" from Les Orientales28 June 1841Paris, FranceBallet du Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de MusiqueGiselle, a peasant girlAlbrecht, Duke of SilesiaHilarion, a gamekeeperBerthe, Giselle's motherBathilde, a princessMyrtha, Queen of the WilisRhineland during the Middle AgesCarlotta GrisiRomantic balletGiselle (/dʒɪˈzɛl/;[1] F
(French pronunciation: [ɡlisad]; literally 'glide.') A traveling step starting in fifth position from demi-plié. The leading foot brushes out to dégagé as weight bears on the trailing leg, weight is shifted to the leading leg via a jump and the trailing foot extends out of plié into degagé. The leading foot lands tombé and the trailing foot slides in to meet the leading foot in fifth position demi-plié. A glissade can be done en avant, en arrière, dessous (leading front foot ends back), dessus (leading back foot ends front), or without a changement of feet. (Wikipedia)
(French pronunciation: [ɡlisad pʁesipite]; "precipitated glide".) A quick glissade generally done leading into a following step, such as with glissade jeté or glissade assemblé. (Wikipedia)
(French pronunciation: [ɡʁɑ̃t ekaʁ]; literally "big gap".) Opening the legs to 180°, front or sideways. Known as 'spagat' in German or 'the splits' or 'jump splits' in English. (Wikipedia)
(French pronunciation: [ɡʁɑ̃ ʒəte]) A long horizontal jump, starting from one leg and landing on the other. Known as a split in the air. It is most often done forward and usually involves doing full leg splits in mid-air. It consists basically of a grand écart with a moving jump. The front leg brushes straight into the air in a grand battement, as opposed to from développé (or an unfolding motion). The back leg follows making the splits in the air. It can be performed en avant (forward), à la seconde (to the side), en arrière (backward), and en tournant (turning en dedans). The dancer must remember to hit the fullest split at the height of the jump, with weight pushed slightly forward, givin
A suite of individual dances that serves as a showpiece for lead dancers, demi-soloists, and in some cases the corps de ballet. Often regarded as the pièce de résistance of a ballet. It usually consists of an entrée, a grand adage, and a coda, which brings the suite to a conclusion. After the adage, it may include a dance for the corps de ballet (often referred to as the ballabile), variations for demi-soloists, variations for lead ballerina and danseur, or some combinations of these.Various types of "grand pas" are found in ballet, including:A grand pas d'action is one that contributes to a ballet's story.In a grand pas classique, classical ballet technique prevails and no character dances
(French pronunciation: [ɡʁɑ̃ plije]) A full plié or bending of the knees. Throughout the movement, the pelvis should be kept neutral, the back straight and aligned with the heels, the legs turned out, and the knees over the feet. From standing to bent this should be fluid. A purpose of the grand plié is to warm up the ankles and stretch the calves. (Wikipedia)


H

"A male dancer's step in which the dancer jumps into the air with the legs drawn up, one in front of the other, then reverses their position [...] several times before landing with the feet apart again."[7] This step can look akin to swimming in air. (Wikipedia)


J

(French pronunciation: [ʒəte]; 'thrown.') A leap in which one leg appears to be thrown in the direction of the movement (en avant, en arrière, or sideways). There are several kinds of jetés, including jeté / jeté ordinaire (RAD) / pas jeté (Rus.), grand jeté, and tour jeté (ABT) / grand jeté en tournant (Fr./Cecc.) / jeté entrelacé (Rus.), or the common compound step coupé jeté (en tournant).Jeté (jeté ordinaire/pas jeté) refers to a jump initiated en plié, with the pointed working foot brushing out in dégagé from cou-de-pied (derrière) to seconde (action similar to a non-Russian-style flat frappé), weight being transferred via a jump propelled by pushing off the standing leg from plié, the


M

Manèges is a classical ballet term meaning “circular.” It describes when a dancer does steps in a circular pattern around the stage.Usually, manèges will be a repetition of one or two steps, but can also be a combination of several. For example, a coupé jeté manèges is typically done by a male dancer in a coda of a classical pas de deux. Ballerinas will often do piqué manèges in a variation or also in a coda. (Wikipedia)

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