Ballet Dance Unit Vocabulary and Body Alignment Skills

Ballet Dance Unit Vocabulary and Body Alignment

Skills of Body Alignment: Body placement or posture, when done properly, lessens body strain and promotes dance skills. Isolation of body parts: The ability to move separate parts of the body independently.

Skills of Body Alignment Balance: An equal distribution of weight, force, or influence Elevation: Movement of the body or parts of the body to a higher level. Landing: The manner and quality in which the body returns to earth following an action of elevation (i. e. leap, hop, jump)

SKILLS OF BODY ALIGNMENT Body Alignment Isolation of Body Parts Balance Elevation Landing

Visual Guide to Body Alignment, Pull-up, and Leg Turn Out

5 Ballet Positions

Ballet Vocabulary Combre: (Arch) A bend of the body to the front, side, or back. Releve: (Rise) Heels lift off the floor and body is balanced on the balls of the feet. Tendu: (Stretched) To brush the foot to full extension staying along the floor. Can be front, side, or back. Degage: (Disengage) To brush the foot to full extension finish two inches off the floor then returning to closed position. Can be front, side, or back. Rond de Jambe: (Round of the leg) Leg makes a circular movement, can be on the ground (a terre) or in the air (en l’air).

Ballet Vocabulary Passe: (Passed) The foot of working leg points to/passes the knee of supporting leg. Basic ballet leg position. Arabesque: Body is supported on one leg with the other leg extended straight behind the body. Basic ballet leg position. Grande Battement: (Large beating) Leg extends to move out from a centered position and returns. A high kick. Pique: (pricked) Stepping directly on the ball of the working foot and other foot raised in air. Done in any direction Changement: (Change of feet) A jump or springing step into 5 th position in which the dancer changes feet in the air to bring the other foot to the front. A jump to change feet

More Ballet Vocabulary (Steps We’ve Already Used in Other Styles) Plie: (Bend) A knee bend with toes aligned over knees and torso correctly placed over feet. Pirouette: (turn or spin) A turn on one leg; direction of turn may be inward or outward, various leg positions. Chasse: (To chase) A sliding step in which legs are brought together in the air. Chaines: (chain or link) A series of fast turns in first position. Grande Jete: (throw of the leg) A large leap in a forward direction Pas de Bouree: (beating steps) A three step movement performed in various ways, back-side-front under or over.