Popular Terms
(French pronunciation: [fɔ̃dy]; literally 'melted.')Abbreviation for battement fondu, a lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting leg, the working leg extending out à terre or in the air. Saint-Léon wrote,...
(French pronunciation: [fwɛte]; literally 'whipped.') Fouetté itself refers to a move where a quick pivot on the supporting leg changes the orientation of the body and the working leg. E.g. A 180-degree or 90-degree fouetté could involve...
(French pronunciation: [fwɛte ʒəte]) A leap that begins with a fouetté. (Wikipedia)
(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...
A posture in which the feet are turned outward. With one foot in the front and one in the back, you will make fifth position. The front foot is usually facing horizontal while the back foot is diagonal. It does not matter which foot is...
A complicated jump involving a pas de chat with a double rond de jambe. (Wikipedia)
(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...
(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 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...
(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...
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...