Ballet Terms The Positions First Position Second Position

Ballet Terms

The Positions First Position Second Position Fifth Position Front View Side View Fourth Position Front View Side View *Note: Third Position is rarely used anymore. Because of the high degree of turn out of today’s dancers, Third Position looks to similar to Fifth Position.

Barre • Demi-plié • Gran-plié • Port de bras • Relevé • Sous sus • Tendu • A half knee bend with feet remaining the floor • A full knee bend with heels off the floor • Set movement of the arms from one position to another • To rise up on the balls of your feet • A relevé in a tight fifth position • An outstretched position or action

Barre • A smooth bending of the supporting leg • Ronde de • A circling or rounding action of the working leg Jambe • Fondu • En l’air • In the air • Développé • A sustained unfolding action of the working leg • A position of the foot, lifted & • Coupé held flexed, against the ankle • Passé • A position of the foot, lifted & pointed, against the knee and turned out.

Barre Exercises • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=8 A 6 c 7 bkzm. Q 8 • Watch this video of barre exercises and feel free to try along with the video!

Turns • Chaînés • Piqué • Attitude • Soutenu • A series of rapid turns on relevé done in a straight line or circle • Done with the supporting leg on relevé and the other pointed to the knee and turned out • Done on one leg with the other lifted back with the knee bent at 90 degrees and well turned out • A turn done in Fifth Position

Turns • Pirouette • A turn on one leg holding the other leg at an angle against the supporting knee • Fouetté • Turn where the raised leg whips around the body

Jumps • Changement • • Glisside Springing steps in Fifth Position where the back foot lands in front • A traveling step done by gliding the working foot from Fifth Position in the desired direction, the other foot closing to it. • Jeté • Jump from one foot to the other • Gran jeté • A big leap with both legs extended in the air at the same time and toes pointed

Jumps • Tour jeté • A high turning leap

Other • Steps • Position supported by one leg Arabesque with the other extended straight behind at a 90 degree angle and toes pointed • Battement • A beating action of the extened leg • The dancer “throws” the • Gran extended leg as high as Battement possible, keeping both legs straight • Balancé • Rocking step, shifting the weight from one foot to the other

Other • Steps Tombé • Bourrée • Pas de bourré • Échappé • Manège • To fall from one leg to the other, landing with all the weight on the foot that has just moved • Quick, even movements, often en pointe giving the impression of gliding • Quick sequence of movements involing plié and passé • A movement done from a closed position to an open position • Steps executed in a cirlce

Helpful Website American Ballet Theater