Ballet Terminology (continued)
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Below, you will find 'Ballet Terminology'
continued D to L....

Part of our A to Z glossary of ballet terms.

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Odette's Ballet Dictionary!

Ballet Terms listed alphabetically:

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Enchaînement A combination of several steps or movements

En Dedans Inwards. The term "en dedans" expresses that the leg moves in a circular direction, counterclockwise from back to front. For example, pirouettes en dedans - the pirouette is made inwards toward the supporting leg.

En Dehors Outwards. The term "en dehors" expresses that the leg moves in a circular direction, clockwise. For example, pirouettes en dehors - the pirouette is made outwards toward the working leg.

Demi-plié Half-bend of the knees.

Sur les Demi-pointes On the half-points. The dancer stands high on the balls of the feet.

Derrière Behind, back. In ballet terminology it may refer to a movement, step or placing of a limb in back of the body.

Dessous Under. The working foot passes behind the supporting foot. For example, pas de bourrée dessous.

Dessus Over. The working foot passes in front of the supporting foot. For example, pas de bourrée dessus.

Devant In front. This term may refer to a step, movement or the placing of a limb in front of the body.

Temps Développé Time developed, developing movement. In ballet terminology this is often shortened to développé.

The working leg is drawn up to the knee of the supporting leg, slowly extended to an open position en l'air and held there with perfect control. The hips are kept level and square to the direction in which the dancer is facing.

Divertissement Diversion, enjoyment. Short dances which are intended to show the talents of individuals or groups of dancers.

Écarté Separated, thrown wide apart. Écarté is one of the eight directions of the body - Cecchetti method.

In this position the dancer faces either one of the two front corners of the room. The leg nearer the audience is pointed in the second position à terre or raised to the second position en l'air. The torso is held perpendicular. The arms are held en attitude with the raised arm being on the same side as the extended leg.

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Échappé Escaping or slipping movement. An échappé is an opening of both feet from a closed position. In ballet terminology, there are two kinds of échappés:

1. Échappé sauté, a spring from the fifth position which finishes in a demi-plié.

2. Échappé sur les pointes, or demi-pointes, a relevé with straight knees.

Effacé, effacée Shaded. One of the directions of épaulement. In the French method, the term for this is "ouvert". Effacé is also used to qualify a pose in which the legs are open (not crossed).

Élévation In ballet terminology, this is the ability of a dancer to attain height in dancing. All steps of' elevation begin and end with a demi-plié.

Entrechat Interweaving or braiding. A beating step where the dancer jumps into the air and rapidly crosses the legs before and behind each other.

Entrechat six Six crossings.

Épaulement Shouldering. The placing of the shoulders. It's a movement of the torso from the waist upward, bringing one shoulder forward and the other back with the head turned over the forward shoulder.

Épaulement gives the finishing artistic touch to every movement and is a characteristic feature of the modern classical style.

Extension In ballet terminology this is used to describe the ability of a dancer to raise and hold her extended leg en l'air.

En Face Opposite, facing the audience.

Fish dive This is a term used in pas de deux. The male dancer may hold the female dancer above his head in a horizontal fish dive, or she may fall from a sitting position on his shoulder and be caught in a fish dive - it can vary.

Fondu, fondue Sinking down. A term used to describe a lowering of the body made by bending the knee of the supporting leg.

Fouetté Whipped. In ballet terminology this is a whipping movement.

Grand Fouetté en tournant Large fouetté, turning. This fouetté may be done on demi-pointe, on point or with a jump. It is usually done en dedans and may be finished in attitude croisée, attitude effacée or any of the arabesques.

Fouetté rond de jambe en tournant Whipped circle of the leg turning.

This is a popular turn and generally done in a series. The dancer completes a series of turns on the supporting leg, while the working leg does a whipping movement. The whipping leg should be at hip level, with the foot closing to retiré into the supporting leg.

Battement frappé To strike. This step prepares you to jump.

Glissade Glide. A traveling step which is often used to link to other steps. The working foot glides from fifth position, in the chosen direction, and the other foot closes to it.

Grand, grande Big, large. For example, grand battement.

Grand Battement Large beating. An exercise where the working leg is raised from the hip into the air and brought back down again.

Grand Jeté en avant Large jeté forward. A big leap forward. The dancer throws the foot forward, like a grand battement, at 90 degrees.

The height of the jump depends on the strength of the thrust and the length of the jump depends on the strong push-off. The dancer strives to stay in the air to show a a definitely expressed attitude or arabesque.

Pas Jeté Throwing step. A jump from one foot to the other in which the working leg is brushed into the air and appears to have been thrown.

Jeté battu Jeté beaten.

Jeté entrelacé Jeté interlaced. This jeté is done in all directions and in a circle.

Petit Jeté Small jeté.

Ligne Line. The outline presented by a dancer while expressing steps and poses. A dancer is said to have a good or bad lines according to the arrangement of head, body, legs and arms in a pose or movement.

A good line is absolutely necessary to a classical dancer.

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